


Gift of a Diamond

by 616mcu



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blue diamond is a mother, Crystal Gems being rather irrational, F/M, raised Steven on Homeworld
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-12 20:57:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 50,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11169945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/616mcu/pseuds/616mcu
Summary: Nearly 5000 years after the war, Blue Diamond is still mourning the lost of Pink Diamond. She comes to earth to try to move on, only to always feel worse. As she tries to accept the Earth's inevitable fate, she meets a young hybrid that understands her. Will Steven by what she needs to move on? Can a Diamond ever be a mother? (also on fanfiction.net)





	1. Chapter 1

Ok, so this is my first fic that I've posted online, so sorry for any mistakes. I was inspired by a fic that's now been taken off, called Out of this world, in which Steven gets taken into space instead of Greg. I've always wondered what Blue Diamond's reaction would be to Steven would be like, and this story would come to mind. By the way, Steven is about five when this story starts. Anyways, I own no characters or songs in this fic, that goes to the creators.

"Oh pink, why did it have to be you, why was it you who had to pay the price?" wallowed Blue diamond. Ever since the war, Blue hasn't stopped mourning her fellow diamonds death, even after 5,000 years had passed. She remains a leader, but not the strong leader a diamond should be. Most of the time she directs all here orders to her pearl, the only one, besides her fellow diamonds, who has seen her cry. She could never explain her feelings to her pearl though; she was the most stoic gem in her court, she could never relate.  
So, whenever the pain inside built up, she would travel to earth to one of her sights, the spires, kindergartens, e.t.c, just so she could remember they days she was there to comfort her. All this usually did though was make her feel worse.

"I come here to your palanquin, hoping that some part of you still hears my cries. Everyone I turn to tells me to move on, but I can never do that, knowing your gone forever. You were there to support us in all our endeavors, blessing each of our colonies with your gift of life. All our gems thrived thanks to you. And when you finally had a planet all of your own to use, your gems, your very creations turned against you, fought you, SHATTERD YOU!" She cried to the skies with that last line. Not a day has passed that she hasn't thought of Pink diamond, her untimely demise, and what they had to do to ensure no one else met the same fate.

"But even after all that, I can never hate this place. You loved the earth, the potential it had to benefit our kind, even when hope seemed lost. I could never find any hate for earth, for to hate the earth is to hate everything that you stand for. But now we've lost sight of that. Our kind is dwindling away, our powers are waning, our proud culture lost and crushed, and our authority, divided. Without you, we remain as shattered as your shards. Please, I beg of you, answer me." She begins to lose focus as the tears just flow in. "Give me a sign that you're here, a sign of hope for our kind."

Blue diamond just cried more as she barely manages to whimper out that last part. She has repeated that prayer for nearly six centuries, and every time it has gone completely unanswered. Maybe yellow diamond was right. This was getting her nowhere. Perhaps it was time to destroy the earth. At the very least, she would stop getting so distracted by how much of Pink diamond was there.  
Before she could walk back to her ship, she heard a faint rustle. She turns around, only to see a bush. She stares for a second, only to find a sound that she was far too familiar with, a sound of sorrow. And it all came from the bush. Could it be that someone came to mourn pink diamond too? A gem that managed to survive the corruption.? She leans over and gently moves the leaves of the bush. What she saw was unexpected.

A human, young, male from what she could observe, and smaller than the carnelian at the zoo. He had a bushy set of curly brown hair, and was wearing something pink and yellow that clearly was too big for his body. In his hands was a small light brown object with a peculiar shape. What really caught her attention though was the fact that he had tears pouring out of his eyes like a river down a current. Though when she looked closer, she saw that, while there were bits of sadness on his face, it didn't really look like he was crying. In fact, now that she thought about it, it looked as if her tears had somehow become his own.  
The human itself didn't notice the towering blue figure above him, until he noticed that the sun wasn't shining on him. He looked up, and saw blue diamond inspecting him. She expected him to be running in fear, but after a very brief moment of fear on his face, he looked up to her to say something.

"W-what a-a-are you doing?" he said in a small but clear tone.  
"Why are you crying, young one?" she spoke in a soft voice.  
"I-I rea-ll-y don't know" he manages to squeak out. "I found m—myself all suddenly all sad. Then I see you crying to your friend pink, and that made me sad. No one so pretty should be so sad."  
Blue's face slightly soften at that. She would often hear such compliments from here subjects, but she knew that was out of obligation. She couldn't explain it, but just hearing this come from him, she felt the sincerity come from him.  
"Did that pally-queen belong to your friend, to Pink?" he asked curiously.  
"Yes." She said, feeling somber at the mention of her name. "To pink diamond. It belonged to her, as did the earth itself. She risked it all to save it for our kind. But now, those efforts were in vain, and her legacy soon to be gone!" Not being able to hold it in anymore, she just fell apart. "I-I try to be strong for her, but I can't, when I know I'll never see her again!"  
Steven watches as the diamond tries to recollect herself. "She's really sad, she lost someone. Maybe, maybe I can help" He thought before he speaks up.  
"I-I know what it's like to lose people you love." He states.  
Blue diamond freezes at this statement. Her intrigue with the human now grew. How could a human of all things, now the thoughts and feelings of a diamond?  
"Really, how?" she says with the utmost curiosity.  
"My mother, the one who gave me life, is gone too. My family say that she "gave up he physical form to make me", I don't k ow what that means, but I know enough to know I'll never see her".  
Blue diamond was taken back. She didn't expect such a sad tale to come out. The fact that he didn't seem to grasp the concept made it all the more somber to hear  
"How do you cope with it, how do you find peace with it?' She sobs.  
"Well, I know that she loved me enough to give me life, and I give back that love by being happy for her. Cause every time I'm happy, I imagine its her loving me back. Do you have happy memories of pink?  
"Yes"  
"Then that's what she has left you, happiness. If you always be happy when you think of her, than she'll always be apart of yoU". Steven stops his surprisingly deep speech to take out his ukulele. "That's what I needed for my song" he shouts as he begins to play.

If I could, begin to be  
Half of what you think of me  
I could do about anything,  
I could even learn how to love

As he continued his song, Blue just lit up. Not only did this human know what he was going through, he knew how to deal with it better that she did. And hearing that song , she realized that this being was truly something else. Before she could say something, she noticed from underneath his shirt a bright pink glow, and when got closer, she saw a gem, a bright pink gem.  
A rose quartz.  
She was taken back. "But, but you, aren't you human?"  
"Steven looks down before explaining" oh , you mean this, well my mother passed this down to me before she left, so I guess I'm a gem-human".  
The diamond was having trouble processing this. A gem, on a human?! That was impossible, unimaginable, yet when she looked at him, a human, a creature that was dust compare to a diamond, yet spoke with just as much wisdom and strength. She saw something amazing, something to believe in. Oh, pink diamond would have loved to meet such a creature form her work, her legacy.  
Her legacy.  
Blue thought for a minute. The cluster wouldn't arrive for a little less than a decade or so, but still, this boy didn't deserve to perish, especially when he carries the most important part of her work.  
"What's your name, little quartz?  
"Steven universe" He said prouldly.  
"Steven" She smiled, that name was simple, but charming "Your home won't be here for long, would you like to come with me" She stretches out her hand with hope.  
Steven, who was always eager to go somewhere new and also excited at seeing a hand that big, jumps on. "Yes!" he shouts for joy.  
As she walks back, now with a human in hand, she could only think of one thing.  
"Thank you, pink".

1000 words is a lot more than I thought. Please send constructive criticism, and i'll try to improve it as much as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

The trip back to the base couldn't have been more quiet, but to say it was uneventful would be completely inaccurate. As soon as they reached the ship, Blue Diamond handed off the little human to her pearl to hold on to.  
The sight of a human on the ship was surprising enough on its own, but when Steven literally jumped into her grasp with a big hug, it caught the usually calm and robotically-minded gem completely off guard. She was flabbergasted and started to tremble as she prepared to remove the kid, only to be stopped by her diamond, who simply told her that the human child was special to her, and that he should be as comfortable as possible. So, for the entire duration of the trip, Blue Pearl sat at the side of her diamond as the human gave the biggest hug he could muster, for several minutes, before somehow falling asleep in the position. What choice did a pearl of all things have against the word of a diamond?

Blue Pearl's mind raced to process this. Sure, seeing a human wasn't so strange, she had seen plenty taken for Pink Diamond during the war, and every once in a while, she would accompany her diamond to the zoo to observe their actions. But never had she ever seen one so young, and so energetic. The ones in the zoo were fairly docile, calm, and quite naïve. They didn't even seem to know they were in a cage all day, thus almost every part of their lives where formulaic.

That's what didn't make since about this. Humans were unintelligent bags of flesh from what she gathered, why bring another to their home. She couldn't speak her mind, but she looked up, hoping to gain some semblance of an answer.  
What she saw was something she could not believe. On Blue Diamond's face was something foreign, something alien, something that Blue Diamond had not had on her face in nearly 6,000 years.  
A smile.

Blue Diamond was smiling. She was actually happy. What ever happened out there, it made the blue matriarch feel better about herself, in a way no one has been able to for centuries. Blue Pearl herself had lost any hope of seeing her diamond smiling again. She then looks down at the small human who had clung himself to her.

The human, that must be the answer. Somehow, some way, the human made her Diamond happy. Just what was so special about the human, something so insignificant, that made a diamond smile? Maybe she could find out.

Slowly but surely, she gently put her arms around his small body, being careful not to wake him up, and gave him a hug of her own.  
The hug was… different to say the least. Being a part of Blue Diamond's court, she often worked with Sapphires and Lazuli's, so it was often cold, but the human, he was warm, soft, something that wasn't found often on homeworld. To hold him, felt, nice. To a pearl, it felt good taking care of something else for once. Maybe she could get used to this.

Before anyone knew it, they arrived at the zoo, once a place that Pink Diamond often resided in, she used it to place all her soldiers, all her artifacts, all of her humans. It once was a place that gave her, as well as the rest of the authority, mild entertainment. But now, it belonged to Blue, serving as nothing but a reminder of what they had lost. Once they had landed, she took the still sleeping human away from her pearl, who seemed to slightly sigh when she did, as she hid Steven in the confines of her coat. If this had just been a regular human, than she would've handed him to one of the Ruby's or Peridots , who would've had him refitted in new clothes, and be put in the zoo. Blue Diamond felt that Steven shouldn't be caged. He was, quite frankly, too smart to be with the ones in the zoo. Plus, he was a gem, a Quartz even, he deserved to be brought up as one.

She thought all about this as she and her pearl entered Pink Diamonds old room, where awaiting her was Yellow Diamond and Yellow Pearl, who seemed to have a smug face towards Blue Pearl, despite them being equally powerless in reality.  
"Back already?" The yellow matriarch said with confusion as she approaches. "You were gone for only a half cycle"  
"I've seen all I needed to." she responds with her normal meek tone. She made sure that Steven was well hidden from sight. The last thing she needed was for Yellow Diamond of all people to see him. Who knows what she would do if she found out that a Rose Quartz was left unbubbled, and on a human for that matter.  
"And yet, here you are again, just as I predicted you would be. When will you learn to let this go?" She says in a tone that clearly showed how tired she was of having this conversation.  
"It is as I stated, I will run this zoo in her place. I will not have you take down her legacy." Blue states with small bits of apprehension.  
Yellow doesn't seem to notice as she continues her own rant. "I knew it, you're still hung over. What more can I say? We tried to win the Earth for Homeworld, but all that did was dwindle our power and shatter one of our own! And you want to preserve the very thing that led to her destruction? These vile Quartz, those pathetic rocks from the kindergartens, and these filthy humans?! They all deserved to be…  
"ENOUGH! "

In the midst of her rant, Yellow Diamond was interrupted by a sudden burst of anger from Blue. The yellow ruler just steps back worriedly. Yellow Pearl even got scared enough to hide behind her diamonds boot, something Blue Pearl inwardly found amusing.  
"YOU WILL NOT TALK ABOUT OUR FELLOW DIAMOND LEGACY LIKE THAT!" Blue shouts some more.  
This confused yellow Diamond all the more. Even before the war, Blue Diamond was always soft spoken and meek. It was always Pink Diamond that stood up for her. Now she spoke with a boldness that she only found in White Diamond and herself. Being on the other end of the stick, felt quite scary.

Blue Diamond, realizing she was showing a little too much emotion, returns to normal speaking tones as if nothing had happened.  
"Until the day I say otherwise, the Quartz, bubbled and unbubbled, as well as the humans, will go untouched. Is that clear?" She states as if she were commanding her like a Ruby.  
"What happened to you on that rock?" was all Yellow Diamond could say as she turns around and leaves, with her scared pearl running behind.  
Blue Diamond smiles as she whispers "I had a discovery, and an epiphany" as she takes out the still sleeping Steven, as she holds him close to her gem, and gently rocks him back and forth, and watches him find peace in her crazy world.


	3. Chapter 3

Taking a human from the earth was nothing new to the diamond. Plenty of them were brought in for the zoo back then, so there was no difficulty with bringing Steven to the base.

Taking care of Steven, apparently, was a whole other matter. It was fairly easy to think of a place to put him, Pink Diamond room. Right there, he could be surrounded by what was once a numerous and grand gem kind. Oh, the stories she could tell, how helpful those Rose Quartz had been, how brave and bold they had been, how during the war they, they…  
You know, maybe she should avoid telling him that story altogether. Maybe in another 100 years or so. He'd be mature enough by then, right?

Anyways, the room was perfect. Only Blue Diamond was allowed to enter that room first, so when she left him by his own with Blue Pearl when she had to do her duties, she wouldn't have to worry about someone like Yellow Diamond or Holly Blue Agate barging in and seeing him. Although, there was that one time he stepped out to greet one of the Rubies, who would've seen him if Blue Pearl hadn't grabbed him at the last second. His curiosity was troublesome at times, but that was just one of the things she admired about the boy.

Of course, being human, Steven had certain needs that were necessary for his organic body to function properly. Luckily, Blue had watched the humans long enough for her to know what to do. So, every day, whenever Steven looked hungry, she would open a secret entrance to the zoo and have him enter it in order to take care of business, eat, drink, bathroom, and e.t.c.

When he first entered the zoo however, he was greeted by a handful of the human inhabitants. Their nice, naïve nature and their child like attitudes made them very approachable to the young boy, so befriending them all was no problem. What Steven especially liked was how they set up a specific time to roll around, reach for the stars, and to just sniff the flowers. Why wasn't this ever on his schedule before. This made him happy enough to start playing his ukulele, something the other humans found really interesting. So, they all sat around a circle, and they clapped and cheered him on with every piece of sound that came, out of the wooden instrument, even when he was just tuning it.  
So, from then on, Steven would bring his ukulele to the zoo, and about three to four hours later, he would always walk out of the zoo being covered head to toe in flowers, and a small kiss on the cheek from one of the older females, though when Blue Diamond first saw that, she restrained herself from crushing the woman into nothing.

When she left him alone with Blue Pearl, she decided to pass the time by educating the young gem in Homeworld's culture and history. She first just tried to tell him about it, but all that did was bore him into naptime.  
So, next, she tried singing about it, though that was really an excuse to sing without have permission from the Diamond first. It worked for the first five minutes, but then Steven once again brought out his Ukulele, which lead to about an hour-long sing-a-long.  
Finally, she decided to just show him by using her holograms to project the necessary images. This finally got him to calm down. He thought of the holograms as one big movie, so he was eager to watch and learn. She would have him set in her lap as she would wrap her arms around him. If you asked her, she would've said it was for keeping him still, but in reality, she really wanted to be as close to him as possible. There was a bond forming between the Quartz and the pearl, and she wasn't willing to lose that bond anytime soon.  
Then around by the time they were done, Blue Diamond would come to relive Blue pearl of the kid, as she would take him to her palanquin, where they would talk for hours.

Well, Steven did most of the talking. For a human so very young, he would have a lot on his mind to talk about. He would sometimes give Blue Diamond a play by play of his entire day, or he would even talk about subjects back on earth, like his favorite things to eat, what a beach was, or even his dream to finally meet cookie cat face to face and keep him as his pet.  
Blue, who often didn't understand the concepts of his words, just chuckled as he tried his best to explain everything. He was just so uplifting about everything. All the gems around her were blunt, and if she had to be honest, never really saw anything good, even when there was plenty to go around. But Steven saw the goo in everything, from her to her pearl. She would never think once about thanking her pearl, yet Steven talked about her since "she was the best part of the day, aside from you of course." But Blue was intrigued, how could one enjoy the company, of a pearl of all things. This required looking into.  
The next time she left Steven with her pearl. She came by an hour earlier, and she watched them secretly from a distance, making sure to have absolute silence while observing them. She watched as they watched pieces of what is now lost culture of their kind. Every time an image passed by, she was reminded of how long it had been since the war. 5,000 years.  
5,000 wasted years, mourning her loss.  
Looking back, she realized that she was partially to blame for their lost culture. Maybe if she had done more, she could've preserved that as well.  
Then there was Blue Pearl and Steven himself. It was clear that the two cared for each other. Loved being in each other's company. But she saw something she thought would never happen. A wide smile on Blue Pearls face.  
It wasn't just a smile either. There was a flurry of other emotions splattered across her face. There was also the occasion embarrassment whenever Steven commented on something that was way over head, like fusion.  
What was she seeing here? For a pearl, the was taboo and looked down upon. They were supposed to be fancy toys to occasionally show off, and responsible for a menial task or two. This was supposed to be wrong.  
But looking at that bond, she saw nothing wrong with it. It looked completely natural. And those emotions seemed necessary for this. She herself, a Diamond, was in mourning and crying for nearly 5,000 years. If a Diamond could express such feelings naturally, then can't the same be said for the lower gems, even one as lowly as a pearl.  
Seeing that bond, also made Blue question herself. Did she have a Bond with Steven? And even if she did, was it any higher, or lower than the ones with her Pearl.

Later that day, they entered the palanquin like they usually did. But today would be different. Today, should would be gaining understanding.  
"Steven" she spoke with hints of sadness in her voice. "Am I taking satisfactory care of you? Do you enjoy yourself here?"  
"Yes!" He exclaimed with joy." I love being here. I never been in space before. It's always colorful everywhere I look. Plus, all the other humans are the friendliest people I have ever met. Plus, Blu Pearl is always great to be with."  
"But I've took you from your home, thanks to me, it'll be destroyed, and you may never see it again." She says full of guilt and regret. She fully expected him to lash out in anger.  
Instead, he did the exact opposite. "Well that's okay, I may not like what happens, but I'm here now, besides, if every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hotdogs.  
Blue Diamond just tilted her head in confusion, since they don't eat. Steven then tried to summarize it.  
"Well, it means that not everything goes the way you want it to, but that doesn't mean something is useless. Sometimes, something even better can come out of it.  
Blue Diamond was even more confused. What good could out of something not perfect. Gems that didn't fit their criteria were purged.  
"For example, I'm not perfect." Steven stated  
This shocked Blue Diamond even more. Steven may be human, but he spoke with wisdom. He knew how to deal with emotions that a Diamond was going through, and he had an enthusiasm to learn that not even the Peridots processed. How could that not be perfect?  
"I'm human, so I'll always make mistakes, I sometimes forget what not to eat, I can wander to places I shouldn't go, I'm a gem, but I'm soft, not hard. Plus, my being born took away my mother."  
Oh, she had forgotten that last part. Why would he blame himself though? Whoever the gem was, she clearly chose to give up her existence for him, and who wouldn't. Steven was the most precious thing she has ever met. If anything deserved to exist, then it was him.  
"But it's not all bad" he continues, "I got to go to space, meet new people, learn incredible facts about gems, but I guess if I had to name the best thing about this, it would be you.  
She froze, clearly not expecting that last part.  
"Your tall and pretty, you brought me to a place I only dream about going to, I get to sit in your hand and talk for hours, and I feel as if you know what I feel like, and I love you for that, mom." He unintentionally adds that last part as he wraps his arms around her thumb.  
Blue winced at that word. Mom. On homeworld, this word had no meaning, but only I while ago did she learn the meaning of it when Steven talked about the subject of families.

There's the father, he the head of the family, he makes the money to pay for things, sings songs with his gutair, and tells life stories to better your own.  
Then there's the mother. She brings you to life. She loves you and tells you it's okay when things go bad. She kisses your forehead and tells you she loves you.  
Finally, there's the child, like a son. He's always excited and always like everything he sees. He also greatly loves those who care for him.

Did Steven really see her like that? Did he hold her in such a high regard, as someone capable of showing and earning of such emotion, of such love. No one, not her pearl, and certainly none of the Diamonds ever held her in such high regard.  
But the more she thought about it, the more it made her smile. Steven truly was Pink Diamond's last gift to her, so if he held her in such a way, then who was she to deny him.  
So, she lifted her hand up, and gently pressed her lips against his head.  
"I love you to, my little Quartz."


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter was fun to write, though I dreaded writing the ending. Anyways, I own nothing.

A full two weeks have passed since that fateful day. Two weeks since Blue Diamond figured out her relationship with Steven. Two weeks, since Steven called her mom.

Now that Blue Diamond knew exactly how much she cared for the little Quartz, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Now, she would practically carry him around everywhere she went, always within the confines of her cloak, of course. Steven didn't really seem to mind this, though that was due to the fact that he fell asleep every time she took him, which actually made carrying Steven around all the easier for her, since it never interfered with her duties. She didn't wish for him to always be in her cloak though, he had far too much potential for that, and that was excluding the fact that he had a Rose Quartz on him. Truly, he was a one of a kind gem.

One of a kind. That just so happened to be the problem with Steven. He was clearly a human, so that was a problem on its own. At very least he would be confused as an escaped human, and be put back in the zoo, she even started to dress him up as one of them to ensure that. Even if he could somehow pass of as a gem, there was still the matter of being a Rose Quartz, a gem that was considered traitorous and evil to all. He'd be shattered on sight if they catch a glimpse of pink on him. She wanted Steven to truly be a part of her kind, but the obstacles seemed too large to get through.

She would express he troubles and sorrow to him. He would always respond with, "Your Blue Diamond, your bigger and bluer than anything here, nothing will be able to stop you!", with a face full of glee. His optimistic attitude was really intoxicating, but it always made her feel better. She only hoped that optimism would help them out in their upcoming troubles.

"Thanks for the flowers you guys, see you all tomorrow!" shouted Steven as he walked away, ukulele at hand, to the secret exit he always came through. He had spent another two hours in one of his daily visits to the zoo, or as Steven came to call it, "The Happy Human Home". As such, after taking care of business, he would play for all the humans every song that he has learned, some he was able to come up with on the spot. They all clapped and cheered him on, even when he made a mistake.

As fun as that was, Steven found it a little tiring trying to keep all of his friends happy, though playing before an audience was exciting on its own. He felt like a rock star by doing this. He wondered if this is how his dad felt all the time.  
Dad. Daddy. Bearded man with a bald head and a guitar.  
Huh, now that he thought about it, he hasn't really had his dad on his mind ever since he came into space. In fact, ever since the house was built, he hadn't seen much of his dad at all. Sure, he knew his Dad had a job, but couldn't he be around more? He thought that the trip would change things, but now his Dad is nowhere to be seen. Did he go back on tour? Would he go into space? Does he know that he's in space? Does he know space travel is possible? And if they are in space, why hasn't cookie cat showed up yet?

Speaking of home, the one thing he was missing most of all, more that ice cream and crying breakfast friends, was the gems. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. They were like his mom, but not really. He tried calling them mom once, only for things to get awkward and silent.  
He wondered where they were. This place was full of gems, shouldn't they be here too? He's seen mini Garnet'(Rubies) and even a blue pearl, but none of them where his own Garnet and Pearl. And what about Amethyst? She was the fun one. Oh, Steven would remember the days where Amethyst would through him up the air so he could feel like flying. Although, half way through the fall, he would be caught by pearl, who after landing would scream at Amethyst for not being "responsible", while Amethyst would just constant throw out a bunch of bird noises. This would go on for about another minute, until Garnet came by and force them all to be in a group hug, one he was always happy to be in the middle of.  
In the midst of his day dreaming, a slightly familiar shape flashed by. From the shadow, Steven had deduced the creature wasn't that tall, and had long, wild hair.  
"Ame-thyst" Steven squeaked. "Is th-at you?" He goes to look where he saw the outline, only for it to be completely gone. He backs away, hoping that nothing was going to…..  
BOO!  
"Ahh" Steven screamed as he falls on his back. He hoped that whatever he was facing, would be willing to let him go for a few songs. Before he could think of a negotiation, he suddenly looks up, and finds hinmself staring at something red, and laughing  
"Ha , ha heh, scaring humans never gets old " She chuckles as she rolls on the ground. She had the same basic shape as Amethyst, but she had red hair and body. She also had a dark red gem on her left shoulder, and she was clothed in various shades of Blue.  
"Anyways." She says as she finally regains he composure. " I'm Carnelian, not an Amethyst, with the difference in height and color and all."  
"What're are you doing here?" Steven asked curiously. "I thought gems didn't like coming in here"  
That part was very true, despite putting a strong farce for the Diamond's sake, the elite like the sapphires and Holly Blue detested the humans, and so when one was sent to watch, they would make that fact very vocal, thinking they were too stupid to understand, Steven, unfortunately happened to hear one of Holly blue's rants.

"Yeah, that's just the elite being to far up in each other's crust." She causally says. " They think every think everything horrible. But I say it's awesome here." She says as she makes herself comfortable on the ground. "I mean, I was made somewhere like this, so to me, it's like a second home. Anyways, I just came to see how long I can stay here without being caught by Holly Blue" She groans at saying that name. "She's the worst"  
"Is she that one that always yells at people for not being perfect? Because I'm sure that screechy voice isn't exactly award winning" Steven smiles at his little joke.  
"I know right, that voice is so annoying, that I'm pretty sure it could crack a gem if loud enough."  
"I bet her voice is so loud, that I bet that her rant was able to travel all the way to the earth"  
Meanwhile on earth  
"Mom", a young girl with dark skin and glasses said, "I feel as if something really annoying is talking about how bad humanity is"

"Heh hehe, you know, your fun, for the human. You actually got something to say, you don't just run from the sight of something weird."  
"Well, sometimes something or someone strange is just someone looking for a friend, would you like to be mine?"  
Carnelian just smiled at that. This human was definitely something else. The humans didn't even bother to come near her, yet this one was the exact opposite.  
"Sure, but what exactly do friends due?"

Well Steven's mind just flooded with ideas for what to do next. Well, since Carnelian was also a gem, he was able to bring all the fun he had with Amethyst to Carnelian. For the next two hours, they did a whole lot together, eat a bunch of random stuff, have Carnelian shapeshift into various creatures she had encountered in the past, and, Steven's personal favorite, throwing him up in the air. For Steven, this brought fond memories of home, but for Carnelian, it brought a whole new experience. Sure, she had fun with the similarly minded Amethysts from the prime Kindergarten, but somehow, this felt different, like she was watching over a smaller version of herself.  
She was so lost in thought that when Steven landed in her arms, she didn't put any focus on her strength, so she let it all go, as she sent Steven flying across the air.  
"WEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee…" his cry for joy soften as here neared the ground.  
"Ohhnonononononononononononononononon" Carnelian kept thinking as she raced to go find him. She didn't mean to put so much force in that, she was just thinking of all the fun they could have together, but now he was probably pastes. She hoped not, because not only had she killed a now friend, she'll probably get shattered for messing with Pink Diamond's property.  
She pushed those thoughts aside, putting all of her effort into finding him.  
She came into the area she swore she saw him land, and he was. However, the relief turned into shock when she saw what was around him.  
A pink bubble, covered in spikes. As it disappeared when she got closer, she saw a gem on his belly.  
"What!" was all she could say.  
"Oh, I forget to mention, I'm a gem,too.  
"What"!  
"I was brought here by Blu Diamond a while ago. I've been living with her."  
"What!"  
"And thanks to you, I have a power, let's go tell Blue together!".  
"What!"  
Oh, what has she gotten herself into now?

I'm getting used to writing 1000 words now. Anyways, next chapter, we'll go back to earth and see exactly how Steven ended up own his own.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorrow filled the air of the beach front. Everything had become somber and quiet as each day passed uneventfully. Usually, a certain bundle of joy would be jumping the air. Sometimes that bundle would walk into the Big Doughnut and talk none stop to whoever was in the store currently.  
Sometimes that bundle would enter the fun land amusement park as he attempted to when the various prizes at the stand, with all of the workers cheering him on.  
Or even sometimes, he would sit on the beach as his ukulele would sing songs that would light of the days of anyone that heard. But that bundle of joy had long disappeared. Now, the beach laid quiet, as the tuneless air would only make the people fill all the more somber.  
Nothing has been the same in beach city has been the same since that very day.  
Nothing has been the same since the towns brightest star, since their Steven, had been taken from them.  
But the ones who felt it the wore were the Crystal Gems. The guardians of the small town, they resided in a large, four-armed statue, which really was an entrance to a larger on the inside temple, which resided on the far end of the beach. On that however, was a house, a house built for the most deserving being on the face of the earth.  
But now, it only served as a memorial, a place of memories, for Rose's greatest gift, and their greatest failure. In it where three somberish Gems, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl.

In one room of this temple, there laid a room full of junk. Some of it were weapons of war. Some of it were antiques and trinkets. Some was just plain trash. On top of the largest pile of junk, laid a small, violet figure.  
Amethyst. The youngest and least experienced of the gems. She had less baggage than the other two, but did that really matter? She loved the boy, and now he was gone from them. She was made during the war, but only came out 500 years after it. She remembered her time in the kindergarten, how dark it was, how devoid of color and actually life it was. It might sound bad, but back then, that was all she knew of life. To her, that was all she had to look forward to for all eternity, nothing but dead dirt and rocks to endlessly smash.  
However, that all changed when she showed up. Rose, in her full, tall, and pink glory.  
Not once before, say herself, had she seen another living being. She thought she was all alone. So, she always thought she could be excused for what she did next.  
She went and climbed atop the largest ledge she could get to, and jumped right on top of her soft and curly hair.  
But Rose wasn't scared, in fact, she seemed to smile at this, as if she expected this to happen. She took her into her arms, and told her that she wasn't alone, and that there was a whole other world to explore, to see, to experience. Before, she did never thought of herself as alone, but after going out of the kindergarten and seeing more than rock, more than smog, more than black, she broke down. Now she truly knew how lost she was, how alone she was, and how horrible it was, how horrible she felt when she realized that was where she came from.  
She cried for hours, and for every tear, Rose would be there to comfort her, to wipe away every single one.  
Rose was her mother, she would always think, she cared for and loved her as only a mother could for a child. Amethyst knew she could never return that much love back to her, but maybe, she could try with Steven, her son, her brother. She would be there to show him a world a fun, a world where you never had to think about anything bad.  
But now, Steven was lost, alone, feeling exactly as she did during those years in the kindergarten: oblivious and naïve, only now he'll have no one like herself to tell him, no one to break that view.

In the storage room, a room full of corrupted gems, lied a tall, square afro woman, who seemed to be meditating. This was the leader, this was Garnet.  
Garnet. The permefusion between ruby and Sapphire. Once they were both loyal homeworld Gems, also serving their Diamond, Blue Diamond. A fateful encounter between Rose Quartz forced them to something that they, homeworld, or even the Crystal Gems could ever even think about. Two different types of Gem, fused. While Homeworld saw it as an abomination that needed to be shattered, they saw potential, a way of showing people how you feel. It was special. And it was all thanks to Rose that they discovered it.  
Garnet was the leader in Roses place. She had to be, she was the most powerful, the wisest, and the most emotionally mature person on the team, aside from Rose herself. She knew what was best for them, of course this was mostly thanks to her future vison, the power that Garnet prided herself on the most. Though, when Rose announced her plan to have a baby, she could've never expected that, or the end result of it all.  
Steven was an anomaly, an unknown to both Gem and human kind. But that's what made him all the more precious. She could see timelines where the entire rebellion was corrupted into monsters, times where they never even stepped foot on earth, but she could never truly see a specific beginning, or end to Steven. Which made him all the more precious, and all the more needing of protection.  
Which is why she nearly fell apart when she saw the future with him gone, a future where he disappeared, and never came back.  
The Ruby in here wanted to shout to the skies and break every piece of rock until they found him. The Sapphire wanted to give up, as sad as it was, they needed to except that he was gone.

But in the end, it was Garnet who made the choice. It was Garnet who decided to wait and see. She believed in Steven. And if Steven grew up into the person she saw him to be, then somehow, some way, he'll come back to them.

In a room full of water, cries of sorrow could be heard. The sound has not shown any signs of stopping. "Why would it stop "a voice would ask itself. "The greatest part of your life is gone, all because you failed to do your one Job, the last will of your leader." This, was the voice of pearl.  
Pearl. What was there to say about that? She had been by her side since the very beginning, she had the most baggage than all the other Gems. She was her confidant, her loyal knight. She would do anything for her, follow to the depths of oblivion for her.  
She was of course, just a Pearl that, a pearl to a diamond for that matter. Oh, she would remember the days she would just aimless follow her around like a lost puppy. She had so much potential, all of her fellow pearls did, yet they were all looked over as if they were nothing, never given a second chance or thought to.  
But that all changed the day Rose rebel. She moved with such power, such force, and with such a purpose. No one expected her, much less a Quartz, the most loyal of soldiers to the diamonds, to rebel. To do anything even slightly out of your role, was unheard of, alien, and quite frankly, a little scary to the Diamonds. That when Pearl realized, she didn't need someone to tell her what she was worth, she could go out, and show them through her actions. That's why she became the first to join the rebellion, become the first member of the Crystal Gems.  
It devastated her when she decided to give her life to Steven. Why give her life for something that would eventually expire? She held own to her anger, all the Gems did, until that one winter with him. When the saw his Gem glow for the first time.  
Of course, after a huge misunderstanding that involved a kidnapping, Pearl understood why. Steven was her way of giving something back to the earth. Earth was where she was created, it was her home, and Steven was her way of saying thanks. She brought a whole new being into existence, one that could bring the peace between both to human and gem kind. That was her end goal, and Pearl would stay be his side to bring it to life.  
But all that changed that fateful day. Nothing now would change that. She was a Pearl, without a guide, and without a purpose.

flashback  
"Come on Greg, you said we be there by now." Whined a frustrated Amethyst.  
"Hey, a tour bus doesn't get much mileage, I had to stop at least twice in the first two hours for Gas" called back a man with a balding problem.  
"Amethyst, you remember what we talked about before we left?" Pearl said in a condescending tone as she cradled Steven in her arms, who was fast asleep."  
"Yeah,yeah,yeah, have patience with primitive earth vehicles, but I don't get it. Wouldn't it be faster if we traveled by warp? I'm pretty sure there's a pad near here.  
"You know why Amethyst" said the stoic tone of Garnet "That pad is near some, unpleasant memories, and it would be bad for Steven to be exposed to it at such a fragile stage in his life. Beside" she said with a smile as she petted Steven on the head "Steven begged us to come with us, and you know I can never say no to that face."  
" Uh, little humans get everything they want, wish I could do the same" she groaned as she tried to fall asleep."  
You may be wandering, what is going on? Well, after Greg left and abandon Marty to be with rose, Greg was a little down when it came to money. After a little misadventure in babysitting with Rose, however, he realized that he needed to get a job. But, before he could get one at the local car wash, Marty came back.  
Apparently, Marty couldn't get any more deals with anyone, so he decided to do the next best thing: sell out and embrace the marketing business. He sold one of Greg's songs for a burger commercial, which made Marty, instantly rich. Realizing that Greg was the one who gave him the song in the first place, and because of legal issues, he gave Greg his cut of the profits, $10,000,000 dollars.  
With the new income, he could set up his career on his own, with some slight help from the Gems. He would play concerts in beach city, and they would become one of its biggest sources of income for the slower and colder parts of tourist season.  
After Steven turned a year and a half though, he could sense that maybe, being with the Gems was what was best for him, and for himself, seeing as he still felt the animosity from them. So, after spending a month building a house, Greg set himself up on tour, becoming immensely popular across the country. He was even able to reconnect with his family, after a few angry stares and a dinner of course.  
In fact, that's what they were doing here now, in Korea. In his last reunion, he motioned his so, to unite the whole family, he paid for the entire family's trip there.  
Steven was excited to come along, but refused to come unless the whole family came, which included the Gems.  
Greg was a little reluctant, but ultimately decided to let them, seeing that anything that made Steven happy was worth it.  
"Exactly who will be there, you've actually never talked about your family" Pearl asked.  
"Oh you love them, there's my cousin…..  
CRASH  
.  
….  
Black. That was all anyone one saw, that, and a giant, multi hand creature.  
No one, not even Garnet was sure what it was. All they know was that it attacked the bus suddenly, tipping it over a long ditch, knocking them all out.  
When they awoke, they realized that something had somehow made the bus stop before it could reach the bottom. However, that matter very little at the current problem.  
Where was Steven?  
Wasting no time at all, they jumped out to follow the trail that the monster left behind, hoping that the monster hadn't hurt him in anyway  
But the trailed ended with a gem shard, a gem made up of shards, but nothing else was there. No trace of any human, not even the ukulele he always carried was gone.  
Steven, was gone.

Ok, this was really fun to write. I expected it to be half hearted, but I think it turned out good. Next chap, we'll explore Carnelian's role a little more.


	6. Chapter 6

You did what to my Quartz?!" boomed the thunderous voice that belonged to a certain blue matriarch. It was so loud, that everyone in the facility heard it, and filled them all with fear. Blue Diamond was not one to raise her voice, so, for something to cause her that much anger must have done something really stupid.  
That something, or someone happened to be Carnelian. Steven, in his excited frenzy, decided to drag Carnelian all the way to Pink Diamond to show her what they had discovered. Carnelian herself was to too dumbstruck by what she had just witnessed and heard to notice the tiny human dragging her around.  
As soon as they exited the zoo, Steven immediately went up to Blue Diamond to show her. Since Steven never lost that excited state he was in when he first made the bubble, he was able to replicate it easily.  
Blue Diamond, on the inside at least, was squealing for joy like a mother does when her young child does what he's told without question or reward. This was exactly what she needed to help Steven. If she played her cards right, Steven would be able to walk among her court without question.  
"How did you figure out such an ability?" She asked happily and curiously.  
"Oh, carney here flung me across the zoo, and I felt so happy that I made the bubble right before I landed" He said as if he wasn't just put into danger.  
.  
.  
.  
Yeah, to say that made her completely ballistic would be an understatement. She was fuming, all the while Blue Pearl took Steven into her arms to protect him from what was probably going to be a shattering. Blue Diamond arose, towering right above the trembling gem, who had gotten on to her knees and started to beg. The very stare the Blue ruler bore shook her down to her very core.  
" , please, please," She continually shouted. "We were only messing around, it was something we both wanted to do, pleases don't beg" she cried she continually begged for mercy.  
Blue Diamond may have been the most quiet and meek of the authority, but like all the other diamonds, she was not one to practice mercy. She groaned mentally as she saw which them this was. It was the carnelian, the runt of a group of Quartzes that Pink Diamond made. She was far from what a true Quartz was supposed to be, and if she heard Holly Blue correctly, she was one of the more troublesome Gems of her group. Despite that, Blue Diamond kept her, knowing that Pink Diamond would've found use for her.  
But this was unacceptable. She almost ended the greatest thing since Pink Diamond, the one being she could ever relate to, over a slight misjudgment in strength. Thought of Yellow Diamond's rants raced in her mind. Was this what she meant. Would this mean that she was right. Would she need to end what Pink started on earth?  
But if that was the case, what did that mean for Steven?  
Before she could even have considered shattering, Steven bounced out of Blue Pearl's grip and ran up to hug Carnelian, before looking towards Blue Diamond.  
"Please don't be mad at Carney." Steven squeaked with sorrow. " She didn't mean to fling me so high. I asked her to, please don't hurt her." Tears begin to fill up as he tries to defend her. "She's a great friend, we played and talked and got to know each other. She's why I can make bubbles, so please don't take her away".  
The sight of her little quartz in sorrow suddenly made her sad. This was something else. First, Steven is able to understand the feelings and aftermath of death. Then he creates a bond with her Pearl, something no one would really think about. And now, he stands up for a runt of a Gem he only just met.  
Why did he, no, HOW did he see this potential in Gems? It just didn't make since. The only being she could even compare him to was…  
Oh  
Pink Diamond.  
She remembered the days when she was alive, how Pink Diamond would always see the good in a planet, even when the fellow Diamonds felt that it wouldn't do their kind good.  
Steven here did the same, except he saw the good in people.  
Pink Diamond would always be the one to support the other's endeavors.  
Maybe, maybe this was her chance to give a little something back.  
"Oh, my little Quartz, I did not mean to make you cry," she asks she gently scoops him up into the palm of her hand. "Does this Carnelian mean that much to you?"  
"Yes, she my friend, and I care for her" he says, smiling to his mother figure.  
"Very well, I will not shatter her" She kissed him on the head as he hugs her thumb with everything she's got.  
As for Carnelian, she could not believe what she was seeing. Blue Diamond, holding a human, quartz, whatever (She'll ask later), and kissing him? She knew that the Diamonds were superior beings, but she did not expect to see such love and care between a Diamond and her Quartz. Sure, she and the Amethysts would joke around about situations like this, but to actually see, it was truly something else to behold it She couldn't help but smile at such an act. Maybe it would be possible…..  
"As for you!" the Diamond suddenly interrupted her train of thought with a sternness never before seen through the eyes of gems.  
"Count it lucky that my Quartz sees potential in you, otherwise I would be forced to use more, practical means of punishment." She speaks in a slow pace that emphases her still lingering anger at her, which just shows how close Carnelian was to be shattered all across the galaxy.  
"Are you loyal to the authority"? she questions.  
"Yes my Diamond".  
"Are you willing to make up for your mistake and incompetence"?  
"Yes, my Diamond."  
"Then I command you to watch over my Quartz". She says as she hands Steven over to her, as she embraces another hug from the human."  
"This hybrid, my Steven, is special to me. I want you to teach him in the ways of his powers. I will not always be here, so when I take my absence, I want you to raise him with the other quartzes. But, under no circumstances are Holly Blue, or any other subject aside from the kindergarten Quartzes allowed to see him. And if you hurt him or get him exposed, I. will. personally. Shatter. You. Is that clear." She says with Venom in the air.  
"Y-yes my Dia-mond" she stutters as she salutes her.  
"Good."  
Things are starting to look up.

Angry mother Blue Diamond is one mother you do not want to mess with. Next chap will fast forward a few years into Steven's training, as well as the meeting between a certain Beta Quartz.


	7. Chapter 7

Within the chamber of the Prime Kindergarten Quartzes were various shouts of joy, laughter, and general outburst of fun. That room happened to be the rowdiest and the most unorganized room in all of Homeworld, yet no one could really do anything to stop it.  
Deep in the back of the room however, was the relaxed body of a certain Carnelian. She looked back to what she had down. It had been about eight years since her secret assignment was given to her by Blue Diamond herself. Eight long, irritating, but overall fun and rewarding years. She could only think back on her partner, or "little brother" as he would put it, and see how much he made her life that more special. Said little brother was now walking towards her, with a bright pink shield in one hand, and an awaiting hug in the other.  
"Hey Carnelian, are you ready for the mission today?" asked the ever-curious voice that was Steven, though now if you were to look at him, you probably wouldn't have recognized him.  
He has grown a little, now only being an inch or two below Carnelian. He had a well-toned body, well as toned as a 13-year-old can be. He wore the standard Quartz Uniform, a singular, flexible outfit that had various shades of blue on it, with emphasis on a light blue Diamond in the middle.  
However, there were two main differences. His hair was longer, still curly, but shaggy and worn down like the other Amethysts. The other main difference in his appearance, was his skin color, which appeared to be a light pink, a shade just right above his normal fleshy color.  
Carnelian just looked at him with pride as any older sister would. Oh, she remembered his training like it was yesterday. The fun, the excitement the…..

Oh, the absolute horror and irritation!  
Yeah, let's say Steven's gem training was, eventful to say the very least.  
She was given a full week to train him, to test out he efficiency as a teacher. Blue Pearl was instructed to stay behind, to watch and record everything that transpired. Carnelian figured she could get him to use his powers no problem, but that's where she made her first mistake.  
It wasn't that he powers were hard to activate, they were all based on his emotional state, and since he was always happy, they were actually quite easy to summon. He was always happy to show off what he had learned to Carnelian and the rest of the "Famamethyst" as he had dubbed them.  
That happened to be the problem. The Amethysts were thrilled to have a new Quartz in the group, but they always had a "fun" way of showing it.  
"Weeeeeee!" The cries of joy came out as Steven was tossed around in his bubble like a beach ball across the room. As soon as the Amethysts saw this ability, they thought it best to "test" it out by playing an impromptu game of volleyball.  
"Higher, faster, more bounce" he would shout as the Amethysts would comply to his wishes.  
"No, no, no, nooooo! Not higher, not faster, come on guys, can't you calm down for a minute.?" Carnelian would shout fearfully as her cries of caution would be drowned out by all the noise.  
Normally she would be far from the voice of reason. In fact, she was half tempted to join in on the game, but she needed Steven alive. Not only would she never forgive herself if she caused him any harm, but if Blue Diamond saw so much as scratch on him, she would be scattered across the galaxy like star dust.  
"Okay, okay" she said as she finally grabbed Steven's bubble, thus ending the game. "Are you alright?"  
"Let's do that again!" He squealed.  
"Oh, no, no, no! Blue Diamond's Pearl is already going to report this mishap to her, and I do not need any more pressure on my back now." she says as she felt the gaze of said pearl, who just so happen to be two feet away, having mild amusement in seeing Carnelian struggle. "Let's do something safer, like weapon summoning."

TWO HOURS LATER…..  
"Why did I ever think this was better!" The red quartz shouted as the shield ricochet off the walls, proofing Amethysts left to right.  
Apparently, Carnelian thought it would be best that Steven learn from the Amethyst this time, seeing as they were now more willing to comply this time around, with all the fun burned out from the game.  
"There is nothing to it. You just take whatever it is you have on the inside, and let it all out." The biggest Amethyst causally and quite lazily said as she pulled out her battle axe from her arm.  
Steven, still full of excitement and adrenaline from being a beach ball, really took those words to heart. As in he jumped out and released at least 4 shields at blazing speed.  
Blue Pearl took the initiative as she raced in and grabbed Steven and Carnelian, and ducked all three of them into one of the Quartz holding chambers.  
"You do realize that this will also go to Blue Diamond as well." Blue Pearl said devoid of emotion as she cuddled Steven close to her, where he fell asleep.  
"Ok, I know, I know!" She groaned. I just need one win today, one success to impress her enough to not break me in pieces. "Okay, he can summon a shield and bubble, maybe now we can practice strength…..

ONE AGONIZING HOUR LATER.  
Yeah, under circumstance do you ever want to know what happened during the strength test. Let's just say it involved breaking several walls and the poofing of Blue Pearl.  
This event will forever traumatize Skinny, who is now in a corner, hugging her knees and rocking back and forth as she tries to comprehend what she had just witness.  
Oh, she was so going to die today.

"We had fun today, right Carnelian?" Asked the ever-oblivious voice of Steven.  
"Oh, sure, we had fun". Carnelian said as she tried to put forth her best smile.  
Right, now Blue Pearl was reporting Steven's progress under Carnelian's watch. She was explaining everything in detail. The fact that she said this with no tact and emotion made it sound all the more bad.  
Carnelian just sighed. How did this go so wrong? She just had to teach the human a few things, and now she was going to be wiped from existence. Why did she get chosen for this, why this assignment, why this human….  
She looked back on Steven, who had her in the tightest hug he had given her. "Don't worry Canrey, even if today didn't go as plan, plenty of exciting and fun things happened. If that's not a good day, then I don't know what is."  
Carnelian just cried as she returned his hug. This human seemed to see the best in everything, even when the thing in question didn't see any good in itself. At least if she was going out, she went out making the best person she knew happy.  
"And how did my Quartz enjoy his training?" Blue Diamond asked as she walked towards the Quartz duo.  
"Oh, it was great. Carnelian used me as a ball for a game to test its hardness, then I made a ton of flying disks bounce all around the room, and I managed to destroy a whole lot while testing my strength."  
"And would you say that Carnelian was a suitable instructor?"  
"She's the best, I wouldn't have been able to do any of that without her help."  
Carnelian couldn't help but smile at that.  
"Then my decision is final. For now on, you will be his permanent instructor." She said with slight pride in the small red quartz".  
"What?" came from Carnelian.  
"What?" came from Blue Pearl.  
"Horray!" came from Steven as he jumped for joy, not noticing that he stayed stuck in the air.  
"Bu-bu-bu-butttttttt—ttt" was all Carnelian managed to stammer out. She thought for sure he would fail.  
"I admit, when I heard the initial report, I was, skeptical to say the least" she says with slight hesitation, ",but my little Quartz has taught and shown me that just because something is not the why you want it, doesn't mean it's not good in its own way." She grabs ahold of Steven, who at this point had levitated up to her eye level.  
"You may not be the ideal soldier, but you made the perfect teacher for him. And if I want him to be in my court, then you must continue what you did today in the years to come. Besides, you make him happy, who am I to deny him of it?" she says as she places a small kiss on Steven's head.  
Carnelian now, was beyond disbelief. Blue Diamond has just show her a great deal a mercy. She not only ignored her faults, but praised her for what she did. And now she gets to continue this assignment, all because of the human, all because of Steven.  
Wait  
Did she just ask to repeat what just happened this week in order to continue his training?  
If Blue Diamond wasn't going to break her, the job eventually would.

Present day, in the courts of Yellow Diamond  
"You want me to go to Earth with him? Some runty, pile of rock that no one's even sure of where it came from?" questioned the disgruntled voice of Jasper.  
"I admit, it is strange and rather inconvenient, but my fellow Diamond happens to like that certain Quartz for some reason, and I will not have a Jasper of all things question the reasoning of a Diamond! The more commanding voice of Yellow Diamond said. "You are to check the progress of the cluster with Rhodonite, and report back to me. Is. that. clear.!"  
"Yes, my Diamond." Jasper said as she bowed to the yellow ruler.  
But in her mind, she cringed. She was made by Pink Diamond. Her one and true leader that she was made for. She would always follow the will of her now fallen Matriarch.  
Now Pink Diamond was gone. Because of the war, because of Rose Quartz, because of the very Earth itself.  
Jasper despised that planet for what it did to her. She swore that she would avenge Pink Diamond.  
She may not like her situation with Yellow Diamond, but if that meant ensuring the earth was nothing but rubble and ash, then she'll follow orders, for her colony, for the authority.  
For her diamond.  
But now she just had to complete it, with her worst rival, the only one she couldn't intimidate, or beat.  
Blue Diamond's top Quartz.  
Rhodonite.

In case you haven't notice, Steven is now known as Rhodonite. I chose the name because not only would it explain the pink gem, but the definition and symbolism of it fit Steven pretty well. Please leave reviews.  
Next time will explain Steven's history with Jasper as well as show an overdue trip to earth.


	8. Chapter 8

Of all the courts of the Diamond Authority, the court of Blue Diamond was the one with the most upper class of Gems.  
They were like royalty to the others, being made up of Lazuli's and Sapphire's and so on. These Gems had the most power over other Gems, which unfortunately, did nothing but improve their own egos.  
They were like a bunch of fancy rich people had gathered all together to discuss how good they have life. Whenever they felt like something inferior was near them, they stuck there nose up high and gave out a loud "hppm".  
And of course, what they valued most of all, besides their own positions, was Blue Diamond herself.  
To be near a gem so grand was humbling for them. Blue Diamond, as of late, has been known to spare mercy and even gratitude to all of gems before her. She hasn't shattered anyone others deemed defective in years, like the weak looking Jasper of the beta kindergartens.  
In fact, she has been making use of the kindergarten gems more now, sending them on reconnaissance and even battle situations. Most thought that this would never work, but they were always proven wrong when they always came back, one hundred percent successful.  
How was that even possible, no one knew. Perhaps they were more competent then they realized. Or more likely, it was due to the leader of the group. The one no one really knew anything about. The one all the elite of Blue Diamond's court envy, but respect the most.  
Rhodonite.  
The strange gem that appeared out of nowhere. All that was certain was that he was Blue Diamond's favorite gem, as she would often have him by her side at all times. Having a favorite gem was not an alien concept to the subjects. What puzzled them however, was the fact it was him. There was so much amenity surrounding his origin that they thought he wasn't even a gem at all.  
In fact, hardly anybody has seen his gem. It was located on the naval, and from the looks of whenever he summoned his weapon, it glowed pink, just like a Rhodonite. But it was always covered by his uniform so no one could really get a good look at it to begin with.  
What was even stranger was the way he acted and spoke. It was often with a young, slightly less mature tone that made up his voice. He often at times was excitable, joyous, and not strict or stoic like all the other soldiers. Her spoke to the elite with such casualness, like they were somehow on equal footing with each other. But no one could seem to argue this, as Blue Diamond, for some strange reason, enjoyed it.  
In fact. No one could argue with him period, because Blue Diamond always seemed to support him. And no one was going to take their problems to the Diamond, at least, not after Holy Blue…

"Oh, how dare he!" Shouted the voice of Holly Blue one day. "My diamond, the Rhodonite you sent me is beyond defective. He has defied a direct order and I request that he be shattered.  
Blue Diamond just sighed. Nowadays, whenever she got a report from the zoo facility, it was to complain about her Quartz, her Steven.  
"What has he done to justify such punishment?"  
"He defied my orders to stay put. The Zoo was about to run out of air for the humans, and instead of waiting for orders from you, my diamond, he runs in with all the Quartzes and brings them all outside. He has defiled both your authority and the facility we walk, and I ask that appropriate action is taken."  
Blue Diamond eyes just opened at that. This was unbelievable. What just happened, was too much, action needed to be taken.  
A few minutes later, her Quartz came in, with a smile on his face that always made the Blue rulers day. Holly Blue, on the other hand, just smirked. She just knew that he was finally going to get what he deserved.  
"Rhodonite, my Quartz, is Holly Blue Agate's report accurate.?"  
"Yes, my Diamond, everything she said is the exact truth. I lead my team to save all the humans." He bowed respectfully, having a clue on what was going to happen next.  
Blue Diamonds hand suddenly found itself over Rhodonite. Holly then held her anticipation, thinking she was about to witness his shattering.  
But her smile faded as Blue diamond's hand just lifted up Rhodonite's chin, making him look up.  
"My Quartz, for taking action and saving my fellow Diamond's gift to us, I commend and promote you as the head of the zoo".  
"What!" Was all Holly Blue could think. On the outside, her jaw dropped, being completely flabbergasted by what her ears just heard.  
"As for you, Agate" Blue Diamond said with a sudden anger that made Holly Blue squabble. "For insulting my Quartz, for insulting Pink Diamond's gift, and for willing to let it die, you are forever on Zoo clean up duty, and your place in my court has been removed.  
Holly blue, still flabbergasted, just watched as both Blue Diamond and Rhodonite walked away, but not before her replacement and new boss, respectfully dismissed her.  
"That will be all."

Then there was the fact that he was small, even smaller than the carnelian. Why would such a runt of a gem be allowed this much attention? Why allow him to exist at all? This was against everything they had ever known about the diamonds. No of this made sense.  
However, since that day with the Jasper of Yellow Diamond's court, no one could ever say he was a bad or defective Gem. In fact, some considered him to be the best that gem kind could be.  
Plus, he had the support of a Diamond for crying out loud! Just how bad could he be?

"Ugggh, I can't believe I'm going to that stinking planet again, and with my worst rival to boot. Why did it have to be him, why, why, why" Jasper repeated as she just started walking around in circles."  
"Would you stop your infernal yapping for a moment and let me concentrate! Nobody's gone this far out from homeworld controlled space in a while, so it going to take time to map out the coordinates." The emotionless and robotic voice of Peridot shouted. "Leave me to work in peace, and if my computers for some inane reason needs to be punched, I'll call you".  
"How could you even stand him? He's weak pile of rock that practices mercy. We're soldiers meant for destruction, and here he goes, inspiring peace among our ranks, bringing weak troops into the field.".  
"I'm a technician, I don't do brutish stuff like that to begin with, so to me, you could use a little peace." Peridot blatantly said. "Besides, He has more authority then you anytime, so I say you're in no position to question his methods. "  
Jasper groaned. She hated working with any brainy types on mission's.  
"Look", Peridot said. "He is going ahead of us with that Carnelian, so while he checks for danger, you'll have plenty of time to work on your petty squabble with him."

Writing Holly blues punishment was especially fun for me, I found her sooooooo annoying in those episodes.  
Next time, Steven, or Rhodonite, finally comes back to earth, where encounters, old and new await him.


	9. Chapter 9

Rhodonite was ecstatic, and it wasn't just because the fruit in the zoo today was extra purple. It was because he was finally getting a mission to earth. Earth. His home planet, no less. He expected it to be blown by the cluster by now, but here he was, riding on a spaceship with Carnelian, to his place of origin. He remembered exactly how he felt when Blue Diamond gave him the news.  
"My little quartz," said the familiar motherly voice of the Blue ruler, "I have a special assignment for you today."  
Steven respectfully bowed as he had in the past, but on the inside, he was like a full water balloon, just waiting to burst out everywhere. The last time he had a special assignment, he lead his entire troop to plant up a new colony. He had did it perfectly, no casualties, no major resistance to slow them down, and best of all, had managed to impress Yellow Diamond. Sure, that's what lead to the rivalry with her Jasper, but every other Gem in Blue, Yellow, and even White Diamond's court looked to him with respect and praise after that. A certain squad of rubies even fought each other just to get close enough to talk to him.  
"Yes, my diamond". Steven said with all the respect and love he had.  
Blue Diamond just smiled. Oh, how she missed the days where he would accidently call her mother instead. "You do recall your home planet."  
"Yes, earth, was it?" He said with some confusion. Half the time now, he hardly ever thought of earth as his home. Homeworld was his home now. It had been for eight years. Its where Blue pearl, Carnelian, and his Diamond were.  
It was where his family was.  
"It seems that inspections on the cluster have been failures as of late. Yellow Diamond has commissioned a Jasper and Peridot to personally check on its status. However, I managed to convince her to send ahead a scout or two to handle the interference."  
"You mean?" Rhodonite said with more of his usual enthusiasm as stars begin to form in his eyes, something she never understood how it was possible for a human to do, whether or not he was half gem.  
"Yes, you will go down to earth before it explodes. After you handle the interference, you may be allowed to enjoy the planets last days."  
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! he kept saying as he floated in the air with excitement. "Thank you, Thank you…  
Hey  
Hey!  
HEY!  
"Ughh, what?", in the midst of flashbacking, Rhodonite manage to just stare in to space. He's only brought back to reality by the slightly taller red quartz staring right at him.  
"Yo, dude, you dozed off for like twenty minutes. We're already here."  
Steven Just looked at the screen ahead. On it, was the big blue ball of life that they where sent to. From that perspective, everything was so colorful, not the constant bright flashes of pink and white Homeworld was known for. It was a still color, one that required a lot on observance to truly appreciate.  
"Wow, hard to believe that two quartz like us can come from such a beautiful place." Steven said in the middle of his awe."  
Carnelian just turns to him. "What do you mean we, Rhodonite? I mean, I know that it definitely applies to me, but you, not a chance. You're the best, like, out of all the Kindergarteners. You're the strongest, smartest, and most calm out of all of us. You personally know and see a diamond every single day! You've even managed to beat the toughest of Yellow Diamond's court. Nobody can do what you can do!"  
"Awww, Carney" Steven says with a blush. "Its only because of you, B.p. and Blue Diamond that I am what I am today."  
"No, it because of you that things are the way they are today. Gems like Holly Blue thought of us as empty shells of a true gem. They thought we were nothing more than simple hall monitors for the zoo. But you showed everyone that we can be more than that, more than what we were made to be."  
"Yeah, but" …  
"You even managed to get more use out of a pearl then the diamond for crying out loud. If that's not incredible, then I don't know what is."  
Steven still held on to his blush, knowing that he has lost this conversation yet again.  
"Ok, enough compliments for now, we're about to land". Steven said as he prepared to guide the ship to the planet, to Pink Diamond's fallen colony, to Pink Diamond's legacy.  
" Okay nothing seems to be interfering here. You know, its hard to believe once this was a place of chaos and rebellion, right Carney?" Steven said when they finally hit the ground. He decided the best thing to do first was to check the sight of one of the last battles before the war ended. But you couldn't even tell it was a battlefield before, because in with the landscape with various weapons of both sides were a bunch of vines and what seemed to be a lot of red squishy orbs of some kind.  
"Uh, what was that?" Carnelian responded with a mouth full of the red objects. "I was distracted by these little whatamacallits. They taste way better than when the zoo serves red food."  
"Carnelian, everything you put in your mouth taste better than the zoo food.  
"Come on, try it, I dare ya." Carnelian mischievously said. Steven may out rank her, but she was still his "older sister" as he put it, and only she could ever push him in ways no one else could.  
"Uhhh, fine" he finally relents, as he squats down and plucks a Strawberry. He opens his mouth and prepares to eat it, when suddenly a swarm of moths surround his eyes, making him practically blind.  
"AHHHHHHHH, oh stars! My vison been compromised! Abandoned ship! Spread out and attack!" Steven randomly ordered as the little insects attack his little eyes.  
"Ha, ha, Ha!" Carnelian just kept on laughing. This was the least serious Rhodonite has been in a month. Apparently leading a group of rambunctious Quartzes tends to make one mature a little. And while Carnelian couldn't have been prouder to see that she didn't mess him up, she was always a little irked when he had to become a stick in the mud for everyone's sake. So, at moments like this, she didn't hesitate to enjoy it.  
"Get, Offf!" Steven Screamed as he finally get all the invading insects of his eyelids, only for him to fall back and hit his head on something hard.  
"Oww! What is that." He says with irritation as he turns around to investigate it. Within the confines of strawberry gush and bushels of vines, there was something pink that stuck out. He reaches forward, and pulls it out with little difficulty. It was a scabbard from what he could tell, but on the other end, there was a symbol, one that, for some strange reason, felt very familiar to him."  
"Dude" Carnelian says in shock, finally deciding to focus her attention on the object he was holding. "Do you know what that is? It's the Scabbard to Rose Quartz's Sword!  
"Wait, the Rose Quartz? The Rose Quartz that started a thousand year war and shattered one of our beloved matriarch's?"  
"The very same!" If you bring back the scabbard and the sword, you'll be a legend to everybody. You could get your own pearl!"  
"Carney. You know how I feel about owning Gems."  
"I know, I'm just saying. The Diamonds have been looking for closer from all of this since the war ended. They have no idea whether or not they won or lost it. That right there, could be the answer that they've been looking for.  
Steven sorta hesitates at this. Sure it might boost his status even more and appease the diamonds, but was it really right to show it off like that? The property of a gem that risked so much for something she believed in? Okay sure, it was against his homeworld, but even then, he didn't want to dishonor anybody, same side or not.  
"Come on, think about how happy Blue Diamond might be."  
That's what got Steven, nothing encouraged Steven more than the smile on Blue Diamond's face.  
"Okay, I'm in. Where do we find the sword though?"  
"Hmmm, since only the scabbard's here, I can only assume the sword was taken out. So let's go by that warp pad we saw earlier and think of the last place it could be. From there we find the sword, finish the set, complete our part of the mission, rub the sword in Jasper's face, present it to the Diamonds,, and bam, get instant elite status for life!"  
"Okay, let's do this, except for that Jasper part.  
About 100 miles away, a large square headed Gem was mediating on the beach. It was the only way to clear her head nowadays, from Ruby's and Sapphire's constant arguing, to Pearl and Amethyst's constant bickering, to her own future visons, it was hard being the only sane one around. She focused her thoughts on the one thing that could fix everything. The one person who could bring back the harmony that was lost.  
Flash  
She smiled.  
Garnet, leader of the Crystal Gems, got up from her spot, and moved towards the temple. She had news to tell.  
Steven was alive.  
I tried to put more character dialogue in. I hope I did a good job with it.  
Next, Rhodonite and Carnelian search for the sword while encountering a furry beast and three blasts from the past.


	10. Chapter 10

"Ugggggggh, this is the taking forever, why can't we just sit down for a moment?" Whined Carnelian as she and her sort of little brother traveled between the light streams.  
It had been several hours since they've found the scabbard to rose's sword, and right now Rhodonite was really starting to regret taking the red gems advice in finding the missing half.  
"Hey, I was trying to find what was causing Peridot all that trouble, you're the one who wanted to find it in the first place." He looks at his sort of older sister with a condescending look.  
"Hey, I'm doing this for your sake, besides, I didn't think that it would take soooo long to do."  
"Really, you thought we were going to find a lost piece of valuable gem history that's hasn't been seen in over 5,000 years, in a blink of an eye?"  
"Kind of" she shrugged," besides, at least the last few stops had been interesting"  
"Like how we warped into a sky field and got eaten by a giant bird"?  
"Hey, you saved us with that shield of yours. No harm, no foul."  
"Or how we were almost turned to mossy goop because you thought it would be fun to play in?" He shudders at that memory, just feeling the gooey plant crawling up his skin.  
"Hey, at least we got to see an amazing array of flowers fly buy us"  
"Or how we almost got completely obliterated into nothing but star dust when you cracked that gem geode?"  
"Hey, in my defense, that thing should've been better built 5,000 years ago, plus you had that magic healing spit on you, you were able to fix it up like nothing happened."  
"Yeah, except the thousands of burn marks and craters the leaking lightning made! This is what I meant Carney, what if something was following us? It would know how to follow us but our trail of destruction!" He shouts out rather dramatically.  
"Geez, you're getting more freaked out than a peridot in a frenzy. Nothing going to happen to us, not a single serious threat to gem-kind has been here for centuries. What would follow us anyway?"  
What they didn't know, was right behind them was three rather colorful gems following them.

Earlier that day, Garnet received her first clear vison of Steven in years. She of course being her usual Garnety self, smiled but remained calm.  
The same, however, could not be said about her two friends.  
"Steven is alive, and he is in one of the gem sites as we speak"  
As soon as those words left he mouth, the entire temple becoming a arena of unstable emotion.  
For Amethyst, it was unbelievable amounts of joy. Steven, their littlest and cutest member, her little brother, was alive and well. For years, she just wallowed in the junk in her room with no ambition. The others would go out on missions while she would stay back.  
She would just look around the piles of trash in her room, sorting through it. She would occupy her time by separating the stuff she would keep, and the stuff she would share with Steven. She would daydream telling him about all the pranks she pulled, the pranks they would pull together, and how they would weasel their way out of trouble from said prank.  
Now he was back. Now was here chance to bring joy to the greatest gift she ever received, from the greatest person she had ever known.  
For Pearl, came an unending wave of tears and sadness.  
Ever since the day he was taken, she felt like a shell of herself. She was a defective pearl. A pearl without cause, a pearl without direction, a pearl without a master. She was liberated by rose, but she would always feel that need to serve other people. She would do anything for Steven, anything to make him happy, to make him safe. But with him gone, she lost that drive she once had  
On missions, she would often breakdown in the middle of battle, often putting Garnet and herself in compromising positions. Sometimes after words, she would look at one of the t shirts he was supposed to wear, and she would just sing his little tune, with eyes full of tears.  
But now, she had the chance to fix everything, to prove to rose that she kept her promise.  
"Are you s-ure you saw him correctly Garnet?" Pearl said as she tried to recapture herself. "I know that your future vison isn't clear of specific at times of distress. Maybe you saw…."  
"No." She flatly stated. Expecting her skepticism, she moved on. "I know it's hard to believe after all these years, but it's true. I've never had a clean perception when it came to Steven's future, but this was the clearest view of him I have ever had. There is now doubt he is here."  
"But if he's here, where has he been all this time? Didn't Greg called services all over the world to look for him?" Amethyst chimes  
"I don't know, I cannot see any path that shows where he came from, I just know where he's going to be."  
"Well, if he's at a gem site, then he must be looking for us, come on tell us where and we'll be there!" Amethyst shouts with a vigor and energy that had been missing for years."

Meanwhile, while our three heroic ladies pinpointed where he was, out two favorite quartzes were in the middle of a desert. They have been searching for only 20 minutes, but that didn't stop Rhodonite from sweating. After all, he was only human, right?  
"Ugh, remind me to switch your place with Skinny when we get back to homeworld."  
"Oh please, as if you could ever replace little ole me. Besides, I think Skinny loves her position as second in command of the zoo too much". She chuckles a little at the memory of her best friend from the Kindergarten.  
"You should've seen her when I gave her the promotion." He smiles softly before yawning. "Ug, sometimes, I hate being half organic." He says a little bitterly.  
"Yeah, it suck sometimes, but if you were full gem, you would be so fun to squish and hug." She then grabs him and pulls him in for a really tight squeeze.  
Rhodonite just chuckles once she put him down. "Heh, heh, ok. I'm just going to lay here for a while. Wake me up if you find it, or give up, either way, I don't care." He quietly says as she walks away.  
Once she was gone, Steven immediately laid his head against the closest thing he could find to rest his head.  
Funny, he didn't think giant pink pillows grew in the middle of the desert.  
"Oh well," he yawned as he closed his eyes. "the things you miss while your off world."  
Little did he know was that the "pillow" he was sleeping on was breathing.

"Huh, could've sworn that the castle wasn't there before." She murmered to herself. She was getting no where on her search for that sword. She thought it would just be a fun little side quest, but all it was really doing was dragging out the mission more than it needed to be.  
"Uhh, I guess I have to admit to Rhody that he was right, again" She groaned as she prepared to turn around….  
"Are you sure that he's here? I can't imagine him going across the world like that on his own, at least, not without the proper navigation and equipment." One worried voice said.  
A voice. In the middle of the desert? Who would come all this way, to here of all places?  
"Awww, come on P, if our little Steven could survive on his own for the last eight years, I'm sure scaling a desert would be no problem for him" a raspier, slightly more familiar voice asked. I she didn't know better, she sounded almost like an Ametys….  
Wait, did they say Steven.  
Rhodonite's original, human name?  
How would these people know it? And why where they looking for him?  
"Quiet" a third, more authoritive voice chimes in. "I since something close by."  
What did these people want with Rhodonite? Why were they here in the first place. The only people that had any business here were….  
Other Gems.  
She gasped. Crystal gems. Left on the planet.  
"That's what must be causing the interference! I got to warn Rhodo…  
"Hey"!  
Carnelian turns around and sees that right behind her was a rather short Amethyst, a peal, and what appeared to be a ruby fused to something that was not a ruby.  
"A homeworld spy!" The tall permafusion shouted. "Get her!"  
Around the same time, Rhodonite started to wake up.

"Ahhh, nothing like an impromptu nap in the desert to recharge one's batteries." He smiled as he got up. He slept a lot less now that he was one of Blue Diamonds top soldiers, but it never hurt to take wink or two every once in a while.  
"I guess I better try to get Carnelian and" he stops in the middle of his sentence as he turns around to see what he was sleeping on.  
It was a pink lion.  
And it was looking at him.  
Normally this would be cause for Steven to freak out, but considering the horrors of space he goes through, this was relatively tame.  
"Huh, I had no idea that lions come in pink. Are you lost?"  
The lion just stares.  
"Do you belong to anyone?"  
The lion blinks.  
"Can I pet you?" Steven says with a little eagerness. He hasn't seen any tame animals in a long while,, so this was a definite welcome to his usual crazy life.  
The lion, as if to answer his request, moved forward until he was within the young quartz's personal space.  
"Awwwww, you just wanted someone to pet you, didn't you? It must be all lonely being the only pink lion, isn't it." He says as he continues to pet him.  
"I know the feeling." He starts to speak a little quieter as he begins to look down.  
"I mean. I surrounded by gems every day, but I'm the only hybrid in existence. It can be pretty lonely, but it can fine. I mean, Blue diamond is the best mother I could ask for. And carney and B.p are like two older sisters, always disagreeing with each other, but in the end, are always loving and kind, and that's all anyone could ask for, right?"  
The lion gives out a soft purr, as if he agreed.  
"Heh, you're just a cute little creature, aren't you? Say, you wouldn't happen to know where the sword to this is?" He pulls out the Scabbard for the giant cat to see.  
The lion just bows his head as a giant circle forms on it and begins to glow. He then starts to nudge to little hybrid.  
"Oh, you want me to grab something, in your head? Ok, weird, but ok." He shrugs as he puts his and in. He feels nothing, but before he could pull it out, he feels a sort of handle like thing that forces his hand to grip it.  
With all of his might, he pulls it out, and to his shock, it was a bright pink sword.  
Rose Quartz sword.  
"Whaaat?! You had Rosen Quartz's sword in you head?" He squealed in delight and excitement.  
"I can't believe it! Carney will never believe me when i…..  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" a scream breaks out.

"Oh no, Carnelian! I have to save her, come on you, lets…." He turns around to face the pink beast, only to find the spot where he was completely empty.  
Having no time to question, Steven just shrugs off his confusion to save his friend.  
That friend of his, was not having the best of luck. She used her weapon, a two chain flail, to fight them off to the best of her ability, but the shear force from the Fusion alone made her tremble. The constant attacks from all three sides were just too much for her.  
"Rhodyyy" she whimpered, "I'm sor-r-y" she falls to the ground, unconscious.  
"Quick she's down, I'll finish her!" Pearl states as she prepares her spear to poof the fallen Quartz.  
"Leave her alone!"  
A bright pink shield flies through the air and knocks the spear out of the white gem's hand.  
All three turn around and shock as the find a short, tiny, slightly more pink then usual, young human with curly, dark brown hair. He wore a uniform with various shades of blue, held a shield in his left hand, and a giant pink sword in the other. Despite the clothes and the age, all three gems where able to come to one clear explanation.  
"Steven!?" They all gasped.  
It might've taken him awhile, but before he could attack, he got a good look and realized what was wrong.  
"Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl?!"

Yes! Now everyone's united! But will the harmony be restored?


	11. Chapter 11

"Steven? I-Is that you?" The startled voice of Pearl said.  
Before the three crystalline heroines was Steven, or rather, a version of Steven that was grown up, and prepared to fight them. A Steven, from the looks of it, that was loyal to homeworld. Garnet herself cringed at the sight of the blue on his clothes. The color that belonged to the diamonds, her diamond, Blue Diamond, the one that threated to shattered Ruby.  
Rhodonite, however, was looking at them quite intensely. This were clearly crystal Gems; how else would that Ruby hybrid fusion exist without being shattered on sight. But why did they look so familiar?   
"Don't you remember us Ste-man?" The Amethyst quietly said as she slowly started to walk up to him. "It's us, the Gems. Your half Human, your mother gave up her form to bring you into the world."

What!?   
This news caused Rhodonite to step back a little. No one but B.P, Blue diamond, and Carnelian new he was only half Gem. And that last line, that was something he hasn't heard in a long time. And why did this Amethyst insist that he knew them? Although, now that he thought about it, a vague picture was starting to form in his mind. Not much of a picture, as more along the lines of a son….  
"You used to sing a little song you made for us, because you loved us. We would listen to it as we and your father built your house." The Fusion voiced in with a calm and soothing voice."  
"My father!" He thought. "I haven't thought about my father in years! How could they know all of this? And what song? I know tons of songs! In fact, the first song I sang was…..  
His eyes, suddenly burst wide at the realization.  
These were the Gems that raised him on earth.  
Before he lost them.  
Before he met Blue Diamond.  
Pearl, seeing this, smiled and pressed on. "Yes, that song, you would always improve on it it, and we would always clap to it, even singing the parts you made for us." She motions the other Gems, who understood what she was getting at.  
Garnet: We.  
Amethyst/pearl: Are the Crystal  
ALL gems: Gems! We'll always save the day.  
Rhodonite eyes just filled with tears. All this time, he looked for them. He searched every star, every planet, every system that homeworld had. He would always be on the look out for the Gems that raised him as a baby.  
The Gems that gave him his first taste of family.  
Seeing as how they were singing his song, he decided to chime in.  
Rhodonite: And if you think we can't…  
He quickly looks back on the Gems, who's smiles couldn't be bigger, and whose tears couldn't be any more watery. They continues.  
All Gems: We'll always find away!  
Garnet: That's why the people  
Amethsyt/pearl: Believe in  
Garnet  
Amethyst  
And Pearl….  
And STEVEN!  
Rhodonite, no, Steven, smiled as he began to step forward.  
"Is it really you guys? The ones who raised me?" He nervously ask.  
All of the them confirm this with a simple nod, to which Steven decided to respond with a hug, and not just any hug, a hug full of all the love and care and feeling that he has spent years holding on to, for his first family. He ended up picking them all up with his tremendous strength.  
"I can't tell you how much I've missed you."  
The three rebel Gems were surprised to say the least, but none of them dared not to speak, for this was too precious of a moment to interrupt. However, after about five minutes of loving embrace, Amethyst decided to break the silence with her concern.  
"Whoa dude, Amethyst said, half happy, half pleasantly shocked, "shouldn't be us picking you up?"  
"Amethyst is right, even at your top peak, any human child at your size would strain your body with our combined mass and weight." Pearl said with equal concern and disbelief, despite Steven proving her wrong with said hug.  
"Well, that's what happens when you train to be the top of all the Quartzes in the authority." Steven says as he puts them down.  
"Authority?" Garnet questioned, starting to get an uneasy feeling about this. "Steven, what are you talking about. Homeworld has been off world for thousands of years."  
"I know that silly" Steven says with a small chuckle, "I've been taught that history by homeworld's finest for years now."  
All three of the Gems gasp once again.  
"WHattttttttt!" Squealed Pearl. "Are you saying that you've been on homeworld for the last 8 years?"  
"B-but, that's, like impossible." Amethyst shouted as she begain to hyperventilate. "Aren't all the ships and pads, like, smashed and completely unsable?" She looks up to Garnet, who just nods before speaking again.  
"Steven, what happened when you left?"  
"Oh, now that's something I haven't really thought about in a while." Steven closes his eyes as he tries to remember. "Well, after we were separated, I ended up in a bush somewhere, but than I was spotted by Blue Diamond and…..  
"Whattttttttt?!." Garnet shouted as she came up even closer to Steven. He could tell, despite her visor, that this was very disconcerting to her, She was on the verge of falling The other two seemed equally terrified at that thought as well.  
A Diamond,  
on earth,  
after the War? "  
"Steven, what was she doing here!? If say harmed you in anyway, I'll….  
"Garnet, relax. She didn't harm me. She was crying."  
"Steven, the Diamonds are not one for sympathy. I highly doubt that you saw one of them crying." Pearl seriously said, hoping that Steven hadn't been swayed into their brainwashing.  
"Pearl, you weren't there. I saw her. No, more than that, I felt her sadness. Every sorrow, every regret, every hope, every tear she shed, I felt personally. She wanted to see Pink Diamond again. She wanted this world to be preserved for her legacy to live on. I spoke to her, and told her how she is never gone as long as she remembers her fondly."  
The Gems were just taken back at that. Had Roses son, had their little Steven, confront, comfort, and relate to a Diamond?  
Steven continued. "She felt better. So, in return, she took me to homeworld"  
"Wait, so she took you, off planet!?" Amethyst screamed.  
"Yeah, it was no big deal, I got to see a whole new world beyond earth. I met people, I added them to my universe, just like you guys." He finished with a fond smile.  
The Gems, however, where far from okay after what they just learned.  
"Steven, that was not okay, this is far from fine! She took you away from us, from your home, and for what?! So, she could feel better about herself?!" Garnet angrily steamed.  
Steven was taken back, and angered at that outburst. "Garnet, stop talking about her like that! She is kind, and sweet! She is caring and loving! She kept me safe, she protected me from the other Gems, she made sure I had a future up there in her court. She made me who I am!" Steven pauses to see the looks on their faces.  
They were shocked, yet again. Never had they thought that their little Steven would ever be angry ant anything, let alone be angry at them.  
"I am Rhodonite, Loyal soldier and son of Blue Diamond!"  
Pearl became flabbergasted. "What do you mean son? Gems don't have families."  
Steven took a deep breath before speaking again, hoping to avoid any more angry outbursts. "That's what I've been trying to explain to your guys. They might not have the traditions Humans have, but they aren't any more capable of being a family, or the love that comes with it. Tell me, did you think you were capable of those emotions when you rebelled. Or when I was born.  
The two former homeworlders really took that to heart. They realized that once, they thought exactly like that. Never before did ever think they would be doing what they did today. And never before did they think that they would come to care for Steven as their own.  
They both turned their head away, staying silent, realizing that he was right.  
"See, other Gems aren't incapable of feeling the way you guys do. I've come face to face with all three of the Diamonds, and all of them are just as emotional as any human can be. I've made my only family with three specific ge….. ahhhh," He screams, "I almost forgot about Carnelian!" Steven ran past them, to the unconscious red Quartz that was still knocked out.  
"Carney, wake up, I have people I need you to meet."  
At the very sound of his voice, Carnelian shot up, as he backed up as she spoke.  
"Rhodonite, It's the crystal Gems, they're messing with everything, they some how know you and they, they, they are right here and not ….attacking?" Carnelian said in confusion as she stared at her would-be poofers.  
"Carnelian, these are the Gems that raised me before Blue Diamond. They're my first family."  
Carnelian only had one response to that.  
"Cool"

Ha, I hope that was enjoyable. Please leave reviews and questions.  
Next, The Gems learn More about Homeworld and Steven while Peridot and Jasper draw near.


	12. Chapter 12

With all that drama unfolding on the earth, tensions begin to rise on a ship a few light years away…..  
"Uhhhhhhh, what is taking those clods so long!" complained the voice of Peridot. It has only been a half a day since the two Quartzes of Blue's court were sent to earth, but she was already beginning to become impatient with waiting, thought that was mostly because her present company wasn't exactly what she had in mind for an escourt.  
"Why did I stay here? Why didn't I just go with the and be done with this infernal check already! At least that Rhodonite has some sense of proper etiquette than that pile of mass I'm forced to cooperate with."  
"What. Was. That!?" Steamed the voice of said pile of mass. Peridot turns around with no hesitation as she confronts the brutish soldier.  
"I make no apologies for nearly stating fact and observation, Jasper. Your insufferable to work with, and if it wasn't for the fact that Rhodonite spoke up for you, Yellow Diamond would have already shattered you." She said in a clearly annoyed tone.  
This shocks Jasper a little, though she doesn't show it, other than raising her voice.  
"What are you talking about?!"  
Peridot just smirks as she just smugly explains herself. "Oh, you didn't know? That "runty shell of a Quartz" that you clearly have issues with, spoke up for you. After word of your "little tantrum" spread to all the courts, Yellow Diamond was in talks of smashing your measly little Gem across her throne room."  
Jasper tries to hold on to her anger, but her face clearly showed that she was about to lose it.  
"But for whatever reason, Blue Diamond's top Quartz saw some worth, as little as that may be, in you, and spoke on your behalf. Since he's the smartest and wisest of her court, Yellow Diamond took it into consideration."  
"Whatttttttt?! That little runt, changed the mind, of a Diamond?!"  
"Yeah, who knew it was possible, right? Anyway, bottom line is, no matter how much you despise him, no matter how strong your urge to smash him to pieces is,he's always going to be the reason why your standing here today." Peridot ends her smug speech with a little laugh in her face.  
"Uggggggggggggggggh" was all Jasper could screech out as she left the room, pounding on every inch of the hallway as she did. All it really did though was give Peridot more of a reason to life at her expense.  
"Ah, its times like these that make tedious jobs like this almost worth the trouble. Now if only those two would report in."

As that was happening, the Gems back on earth decided to step back a little and warp back to the base, to warp back to the temple, to warp back to Steven's would be home. The trip went a little more smoothly after explaining everything to Carnelian. She took the news rather well. Considering how she had been adjusting to change and craziness for the last 8 years, this was, to her, relatively tame.  
One they got back to the house, Steven marveled at the sight of his old home. Everything around him, everything object, every inch of wood, was still there, as if time had not touched upon it at all. It felt so alien, yet so familiar at the same time.  
"We always hoped that we'd fine you again, so to honor your return, not a single thing was kept out of place." Pearl said quite solemnly.  
"Yeah, we even left the food in the refrigerator untouched for you. Warning though, it might be all spoiled and moldy by now." Amethyst chimed.  
Steven's face just grew a little uncomfortable. "Eh, that's okay, I leave that for Carnelian."  
"Aw, really, thanks!" she shouts as she leaps towards the fridge.  
"Hey, if any other gem is going to eat molded expired food, it's going to be me!" Amethyst says with jealousy as she leaps there to prepare to fight the red Quartz for it.  
"Steven" Garnet says with all the care a mother could ever muster. "I know it must be hard to except, but this was supposed to be your home, and no matter what has happened in the past, we are still your family."  
"I know, I just don't want to chose over anyone. Why can't we all be family? The wars over, we don't have to fight." Steven says with sheer sincerity. The two motherly Gems just look to each other uneasily, knowing that this was easier said than done. Before either two Gems could drone on it further, Pearl decided to drop the tension by gaining more understanding.  
"Speaking of which, how exactly did this, carnelian was it?" Pearl asked  
"Yup." Said Gem answered while stuffing her face full of moldy cheese, while simultaneously sitting on top of a defeated Amethyst, who just groaned in disbelief.  
"How exactly did she become a part of your, ahem, family." Pearl continued, having a little trouble saying that last part."  
Before he could even open his mouth, Carnelian jumped in front of him, deciding to speak for him.  
"Oh, little Rhody here is the best. Blue Diamond lets him into the zoo to take care of his biological needs. I just so happened to be in there, he confused me for your Amethyst, followed me, and a long story short, he personally lead me to Blue Diamond and got me promoted to be his personal trainer, though you could say his older sister, isn't that right, Rhody?" She smiles as she begins to tickle him.  
"No, no, please, anything but that!" Steven laughed as he fell to the floor in a joyous fit.  
The two motherly Gems watched, not quite believing what they were seeing. A homeworlder, truly except a human as a member of its family. From the looks of it, these two have been through thick and thin together, able to laugh and smile over similar experiences. It seemed that Rose's son was able to impact people, no, Gems in more ways than she ever could. Maybe this was Rose had in mind, maybe Steven was what they needed to finally bring peace.  
However, the third, younger gem wasn't having the same, pleasant thoughts that the first two were having. She looked at the two sibling like Quartzes, and couldn't help but feel envy, envy for the Red Gem. She had the chance, the opportunity that she so long for, the chance to make Steven laugh, to make him smile, to make the greatest gift ever, happy. But for now, she shrugged off that feeling, for Rose's sake, for Steven's sake., and couldn't help but feel envy, envy for the Red Gem. She had the chance, the opportunity that she so long for, the chance to make Steven laugh, to make him smile, to make the greatest gift ever, happy. But for now, she shrugged off that feeling, for Rose's sake, for Steven's sake.  
Once the duo calmed down, Steven was hit with a sudden realization.  
"Oh, I almost forgot" Steven then pulled out something from behind him, revealing a bright pink sword, covered by its scabbard.  
Carnelian looks with confusion."Uh, okay, one, YOU GOT ROSE QUARTZES SWORD! And, two, how did you hide it behind you?  
"Oh, I found it in the head of a lion, and as for that last part, I really don't know. Anyways, I think you guys should have this back, seeing as how Rose was your leader and all" Steven said to the Gems.  
Said Gems where a little shocked, not because Steven had Rose's missing sword ( or that it was with a lion of all things), but that he was giving it to them. Garnet steps up, pushing the sword towards Steven.  
"I believe that it belongs to you, Steven."  
"Yeah" Amethyst said. " It's your find, so it so it's your keep!"  
"Besides, your mother probably would have wanted you to keep it."  
"Aw thanks" Steven blushes a little at the sentiment, but his face drops at one little deatail. "Wait, what do you mean my mother?"  
Amethyst decides to answer this one. "Oh, you know, rose Quartz, the one that gave you your gem." She says as if he should already know.  
"I-I don't understand" his voice begins to shake a little. "I know I was made from half of a Rose Quartz, but I don't see what that has to do with the sword of THE Ro….." Steven stops mid sentence when he realizes what they where getting at. "No, no, that can't be! Are you saying that…."  
"Steven" Pearl tries to calm him down. "Your mother was our leader, she was The Rose Quartz."  
"The one who started the rebellion!?" Carnelian shouts, realizing the implications of this.  
"My, mother, was the one who shattered Pink Diamond?!" Steven whimpered, hoping for some semblance of an answer that it wasn't true.  
None of the Crystal Gems offer any, as the faces of each become more uncomfortable.  
"I-, I have to go!" Steven shouts as he makes his way towards the warp pad.  
"Rhodonite! Wait" Carnelian tries to stop him, but she arrives to late.  
Steven had disappeared.  
And the Gems realized their mistake.  
They may have lost Steven yet again.

Whoa, a little more serious and deep than I imagined.  
Next, Steven tries to make sense of everything, and runs into a certain mirror,


	13. Chapter 13

Steven was running.  
It not like that wasn't normal, but so much as what he was running from.  
Not from his family, really, not from any enemy seeking to crush him.  
He was running from himself.  
Steven never really gave any in depth thought before on who might his biological mother might have been, he had a great mother in Blue Diamond, what more could he even ask for? But sometimes, when he was left alone to guard the zoo, he would wander around the former chamber of pink diamond, and just admire the bubbled Quartzes, and wonder exactly what his mother did. Blue Diamond and pearl were able to explain the science of his creation once they had a full-scale study of his body. From what he could gather, the gem that gave him life could have not given him her gem, they both could've lived at the same time. He would wonder why she didn't live on along him? Why didn't she stay to care for him, to be by his side, to hug him and say she loved him. Blue Diamond would insist that the Gem that birthed him loved him, loved him enough to give her power, her life to him, so that he could be more that any Gem or Human could ever dream of becoming.  
"Besides" she said lovingly, "If she hadn't, I wouldn't be holding you in my arms, and know what it was like to be a mother, proud of her son."  
That would always be enough for Steven, that would be the end of the question.  
But now he had just learned that his mother was the biggest traitor in all of Gem History. She caused the war. She caused the loss of culture on homeworld, the loss of stronger Gems. The loss of the earth. Thnaks to her, the planet he was born on as well as its inhabitants were all going to be gone, as if they weren't there in the first place.  
She cost them one of their own Diamonds for crying out loud! And the Crystal Gems, the ones that raised him in the beginning, expected him to just except that? To except that his own mother, was a murderer!? That he just so happens to be half the reason why Blue Diamond was mourning all of this time?  
Was that the reason she was no longer here. Was she too much of a coward to face anyone? Was she so ashamed that she decided to end her existence, to leave someone else with the fallout. To leave her only son, her "gift to the earth", to clean up the mess that she started all so long ago?  
Was he, anything more than the spawn of all of her mistakes?  
With all of that flowing in his brain, Steven could only think one thong as he entered the warp pad.  
"Get me somewhere that doesn't remind me of gem culture.  
The only place that did, was apparently the galaxy warp, in the middle of the sea.  
Steven just sat there, just wishing he could use the warp pad to beam himself back to homeworld so he could forget all about what just happened. He really did not feel like talking to the gems, or Carnelian for that matter.  
"Ug, why did my mother have to be The Rose Quartz? Why couldn't she have another Gem, a bismuth even. That would've been better than a murderer." He murmured to himself for the 100th time in the past hour.  
"Help. Me" A voice said. It was quiet, and it sounded weird, like it was a dozen one second recordings smashed together to form a message. In fact, a few of them sounded like his voice.  
He looks down to check the source of the sound, and to his surprise, he finds a mirror, underneath his hand. He picks it up to investigate.  
"Huh, that's a funny place for a mirror." Steven said to himself.  
"Huh, that's a funny place for a mirror" It repeated  
"Wait" Steven said in shock," Are you one of those recording devices that are supposed to show specific parts of history when asked, because if you are, than I have like, a million questions about gem culture back before the war."  
The mirror shows static for a minute before replying "N.o.t Mirror. ..back before the war" it responds with more recordings of Steven talking.  
"Wait, so you're not really a mirror? I guess it really was a little silly for me to think that a mirror could really be talking to me." He chuckles.  
"You. Silly. For. A mirior." It says.  
"I'm not a mirror, silly! I'm Rhodonite" he responds with a smile. "So, I guess you heard my ramble from before, huh?"  
"Ug, why did my mother have to be The Rose Quartz?" it responded.  
"Yeah, I guess you must be confused on what I meant. Well, this is really supposed to be secret, but I'm really half human, half Gem, and a mother is somebody who gives humans life. I found out today that the one who did was The Rose Quartz, the one who started that stupid war. She gave me the gem that gives me my abilities." He says, a little glumly.  
"You. Upset?" It said again.  
"Oh, I'm more than upset, I'm angry, and sad, and confused. I was all happy and great earlier today, and now it's all so complicated and weird. I'm a million miles from home, I don't know how to feel, and I have no idea how Carnelian, Pearl, and Blue Diamond are going to feel when the news gets to them." Steven begins to wipe away the flowing tears from his face. "I just feel so trapped by these circumstances! They're my best friends, more than that, their the greatest family that I could ask for! I love them with everything that I have, and now, I know that I'm the source of their greatest bane." Steven loses it as he begins to sob.  
The mirror pauses to process all it has learned.  
"Blue Diamond. Pearl. Carnelian. They. Love. Rhodonite?"  
"What?" Steven asks in between wipes on his eyes.  
"Blue Diamond. Pearl. Carnelian. They. Love. Rhodonite?"  
"Yes. I have no doubt about it."  
"Rhodonite. Special. To. Blue Diamond. Pearl. Carnelian. They. Rhodnites. Family. Rhodonite. Make. Family. Happy?" The mirror asks again.  
"Yes, we do anything to make each other happy. Blue pearl would teach me everything I could ever want to know about gems, and we would always dance and sing together. Carnelian the most fun to play with. We would always make a game out of everything as we trained together. And Blue Diamond is the greatest person I've ever met. She gave me a home in space. She gave me a purpose on homeworld. And, no matter what, whether I succeeded or failed, she would always care for me, comfort me with the love of a mother." Steven fondly reminisces as he wipes away the last of his tears.  
"Family. Love. Rhodonite. No. matter. What. Rhodonite. One. In. A. million. " It says.  
"You, know, despite not being what you say you are, your pretty good at being a mirror."  
"Your pretty good at being a. Friend."  
"Heh, speaking of which. Do you need me do something for you? You said you're not really a mirror, and I would really like to help you with that."  
"Turn. Around. Pull. Gem. Out". It said  
"Huh". Steven questions, but does as he's asked. On the behind however, was a small, blue, almost tear drop shape gem. It reminded Steven of the Aquamarine that he was often pared with during important court sessions, but slightly bigger. He removes it with no trouble at all. When he does, a brilliant flash of light is spewed out of the Gem, and from, a figure is shaped and form. It was a tall, and blue, with a blue dress on, and the gem on the back. The newly formed gem looks up as she falls to her knees, as if she was just a new born taking her first steps. Her eyes where just as clear as the mirror she was stuck in."  
Steven was shocked at the sight of the gem in front of him. "You're a Lapis Lazuli!" He shouts.  
"Y-yes. I'm am. You said you were Rhodonite, right?" She says, a little weakly.  
"Yeah. Oh, I can't believe it. You the Lapis that Blue Diamond sent out to serval, aren't you?"  
"Yes" she says a little confused. "How did you know that?"  
"Oh, Blue Diamond mourn every gem she lost. She was really upset when she lost you. There aren't that many Lazuli left on homeworld."  
"Homeworld" She echoes. "You can take me back?"  
"Of course. I believe my mission here is done anyway. We can leave right now.  
She embraced the little Quartz with a hug as the two warped out of there.

I'm always believed that Rose giving up her Gem was a personal choice she made on her own. Who Knows?  
Next, trouble arises as the three homeworlders try to leave the planet.


	14. Chapter 14

"Oh, this can't be happening again! Why did we just say that out loud? He was raised by homeworld, of course he would freak out!"  
That was the frantic voice of Pearl, who, after Steven left, immediately started to freak out, yelling out everything she said as she waved her arms around and walked back and forth like a manic.  
At the behest of Carnelian, the gems decided not to pursue Steven, fearing that would drive him away even more so. Still, that didn't stop the gems from freaking out. Garnet sat in the corner of the house, and from the sounds of it, began to talk to herself, most likely that being Ruby and Sapphire's voice coming through a little more, trying to prevent them from being undone. Pearl, as said before, was just squawking around, saying every little regret that she had during the moment Steven left. Amethyst, managed to be the calmest of the trio, though that was because she said nothing as she looked at the ceiling, wishing she had done more to protect Steven from the harshness of reality.  
With that going on, Carnelian managed to just stare at all the dysfunctional gem with total casualness as she munched on what was left of the spoiled goodies in the fridge. After she was done with that, she got incredibly bored of all their whining and moping, so, she decided to do something about it.  
"HEY, CRYSTAL CLODS!" she shouted out loud.  
All said clods immediately turned their heads around, with a slight angry look to their faces.  
"Heh, sorry, I was just borrowing an insult from a, well, not friend really, more of a co-worker, and I've always wanted to say it to someone else." Carnelian said a little sheepishly as she felt the eyes of all three rebels on her. "Anyways, I said it so you guys would stop freaking out, seriously, it's like you've never had a disagreement before."  
"But, we've drove Steven away, we told him probably told him the darkest part of his life, and now he's gone." Pearl said, with tears beginning to form.  
"Really?" The red gem said in disbelief, "You think you've showed him something dark? Try leading a team to a doomed planet to gather a special energy source across multiple gem shattering traps while the planet's core is slowing collapsing on its self, because he did that once before, and handled it better than you guys here." She said, with a bit a smugness in her voice.  
"What, but he's only…" Amethyst questioned.  
"Yeah, I know he's half human, so does he and Blue Diamond. You got to understand, Rhodonite, Steven, whatever you want to call him, has been through a lot. He's trained harder than any Quartz, lead missions through impossible situations, and speaks with more wisdom than anyone of Blue's court. He leads his own team of Earth kindergarten Quartzes not to different from your Amethyst." She looks directly at her, as said gem lifts her head and steps closer with interest.  
"We were just glorified hall monitors, mistreated for being made on earth, for not being "true gems". There were talks of us being shattered, but Rhodonite changed all that. He believed in us, saw potential in all us "worst gems" than no one else did. He constantly faces the Diamonds, and he somehow manages to change their minds, something no other Gems have been able to do! Thanks to him, there hasn't been a shattering or purge in 8 years! And you think this is a problem for him? This, this is just how he's coping with a new situation. So, don't worry, if I know my little brother, I'll know he'll be better than ever after this.  
The gems didn't know what was more unbelievable, the fact that Steven had a greater influence on Gems than anybody could have realized, the fact the Steven was an accomplished leader, known throughout Homeworld, or the fact that a Homeworld gem knew more about family and emotions better than any of them.  
"I guess Steven's more grown up than we gave him credit for." Stated the Gem leader, realizing that they can't really treat Steven like a kind any more.  
"Yes, it appears Steven's marked his own legacy, without us." Pearl said a little more solemnly.  
"I guess that means he doesn't really need us anymore. He has all he needs." Amethyst says in an equally sad tone."  
"Oh, don't be like that guys, Rhodonite may not need you guys to guide him through the mess that is life, but I know he still wants you guys apart of his universe. Who knows, it could be you learning from him. Seriously, sweet stars' you guys need it. Carnelian whispers that last part, making sure they didn't hear it.  
Feeling better, Amethyst speaks out. "Speaking of which, where do we find Steven? I kinda want to get all this weird tension behind us so we can make up." The other two Gems couldn't have agreed more.  
"Well, since I'm his older sister, I know how he thinks, and unless my intuition is off, I know exactly where he is", She says with a smile.," and it will be him coming to us."

That somewhere just so happened to be the strawberry battlefield, aka, the parking space for the spaceship. Steven was walking right towards it, alongside his newest companion as he held her side up, she still felt a little dizzy and light headed to be walking on her own, not that she minded leaning against the half gem.  
"Thank you, thank you, I really don't know what to say, but thank you." She repeated as they got closer to the ship. "I've been stuck there for thousands of years, I thought no one would find me.  
"It's really no problem, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I really didn't mean to be there. I guess I was just lucky." Steven said with a slight shrug.  
"But you don't understand, back when I was first trapped, I tried to tell others that I was trapped, that I needed to get free, but no one listened. No one, but you." She smiled as she somehow got closer to Steven, making him slightly warm in the cheeks.  
"Uh, it fine really, I'm just glad to find someone in need. Now we can head back to homeworld and return everything to normal." He says, with a little nervousness in his voice. Lapis manages to detect it though.  
"Are you still upset about the whole, "I made from Homeworld's greatest traitor" because of you are…" she begins.  
"No not really, I can except that. I know that I've don't have to be her. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe this is my mother's way of paying her dues to the diamonds. Maybe, this is the way things are supposed to be. It led me to Blue Diamond, to Pearl, to all the quartzes of Pink Diamond, and to you even." He gives a small smile to the blushing blue gem as he them looks ahead. "Ah here it is, my own personal Space ship. He says as he points to the nearly tear shaped ship.  
Lapis just awes as they enter the ship. "Is this really yours? I've never seen anything so advance on homeworld before."  
"Yep. It was made by Blue Diamond's group of peridots. It's the finest that Homeworld has to offer." Steven says with pride.  
"Looks like things have changed since I was last there." She looks down has she sits down in her ship. "Wonder if I have any use left for the Diamonds" she says full of worry.  
"Don't you worry, finding a gems purpose is sort of my specialty. I'll make sure your right at home on homeworld." Steven says with a comforting smile, as he places his hand on hers. The feeling of warmth from his flesh was a new feeling to the Lazuli, but it was soothing, and very comforting. She couldn't help but trust him on his word. She only responds with a smile and a nod.  
"Great, now that's settles, we can finally get a move on. I just have to pick of Carnelian and we'll be set to return to homeworld."

Speaking of the red Quartz, she and her three companions where just waiting on the beach, all of them with a bored expression on their faces. They have been waiting for only 20 minutes, yet even Garnet was starting to grow impatient.  
"Oh, this is getting ridiculous, we'd have a better chance at finding him if we searched for him on our own, right Garnet?" She asks, but she gets no answer as the permafusion just stared straight, giving no acknowledgement to the outside world as she seemed to be thinking deeply about something.  
"Look, carney, can I call you carney?" The irritated Amethyst said as she questioned the Homeworlder. How much longer are we going to have to wait? I have a lot of fun stuff planned for Steven, and this is kinda putting a cramp in my plan."  
"First off, its Carnelian to you." The Quartz said. "And second of all, stop asking, Rhodonite will be here. A sister's intuition is never wrong."  
"Ugg, enough with the "sister intuition", we get it! You looked after Steven. No need to rub your Gem on it." The Earth Quartz said, quite annoyed.  
"What's your problem? All I've done today is help you Gems, and yet you specifically give me the most crap. Don't think I don't notice your dirty looks." Carnelian accuses.  
"I'm just saying, stop pushing the whole sister thing. Your kind of forcing it, don't you think?" Amethyst responds.  
"What are you talking about? We've grown up together. He made me a part of a family." Carnelian pauses for a second before coming to a realization.  
"Your jealous."  
"What?!"  
"Ha. Your jealous that I'm the one who grew up with him. Who had all the fun with him. Who comforted him whenever he was down on himself. Your jealous that Steven's more of my brother than he'll ever be yours!" Carnelian concluded with a smirk.  
Amethyst had no words. Carnelian was straight on the point. Every point she made was a painful reminder that she never got to be the sister she wanted to be. And she was angry at the one who took that title away. The red gem that was right in front of her.  
Before she could even do anything to act upon it, sand started to fly into her as a spaceship began to land right in front of them.  
It was Rhodonite's ship.  
"See," Carnelian bragged as she walked towards the ship," I told you, sister intuition." Fumes just steamed through Amethyst as she resisted the urge to pound her to the sand.  
The other two walked up to the craft as well, Pearl, approaching it with caution, and Garnet, with a still unreadable face.  
The door opens, and out pops out the two Blue serving gems. "Hey guys, we're back." He says as he helps Lapis out of the ship. "Guys, Carnelian, this is Lapis, Lapis, this is my sister, Carnelian."  
"Nice to meet you, Rhodonite speaks of you fondly." Lapis says with a slight smile.  
"Whoa, a Lapis Lazuli, I haven't seen much of those lately, you're a rare find. Cool eyes." Carnelian said.  
"Thanks, I think." Lapis responds, not sure what to make of her greeting."  
"Well, I say that marks the end of the mission." Steven says as he motions the two to come in. "We'll return back to Peridot's ship, drop off Lapis back on homeworld, and return to enjoy the fun of earth."  
"Yeah!" Carnelian shouts, eager to get that plan into motion, "Let's move it."  
"However, before anyone could reenter the ship. A sudden force knocks it on its side. It makes all the Blue Homeworlder's look to the source.  
Garnet.  
"I'm sorry Steven, but you can't go back to Homeworld."

Ohhh, boy, things don't bode well.  
Next time, The Blue Court Gems vs the Crystal Gems


	15. Chapter 15

Oh, how did it come to this? Why did have to come to this? Why does everything, come down to chaos, to violence, to battle?  
All these questions and a whole more were racing through the head of the demi gem. All he wanted, was peace between all gems, despite beliefs, despite the side that they were on. The last thing he ever wanted was amity between anyone, especially between his two families, his two families.  
Unfortunately, it seemed that he was alone in that ideal. The two Blue Diamond serving Gems, Carnelian and Lapis, were more than eager to wrap their weapons around there gems. Carnelian, armed with her two-chained flail and "fight happy" smile that she always bore, and from the looks of it, Amethyst had the same look as she took out her flaming whip, though it looked like her stare alone would be enough to poof even the toughest of Gems.  
Pearl, while eager to stop Steven from leaving again, had a somewhat nervous expression on her face. She never, never in a million years thought she would turn her spear on Ro.., no, on Steven. She always thought she would be his knight just like she was to his mother, to her Rose. But now, she was prepared to fight him and his team, for his own good, she convinced herself. She only hoped that he was still as forgiving as he was as a baby.  
Garnet. Where could you even begin with what the loving fusion felt? She felt angry for losing Steven all those years ago, helpless when all their efforts to find him fell in vain, frustrated when she and the rest of her team were unable to move on, elated when finally saw him again after so many years, regretful when they revealed the truth about his mother, sorrowful when she saw Steven had a better family in homeworld gems than the Gems rose entrusted to care for him, and angry once again when she saw a future where Steven doesn't come back to them. Now she was confused as to why, scared of it actually happen, and determined to never leave Steven's side again.  
Lapis, was angry. No, furious, no, she was, some other word that Steven hadn't learned yet. Even with the mirror like, pupil less eyes, Steven could see, no, he could feel the anger, the hatred, the sheer determination to crush, to obliterate anything in their path. It was quite scary to watch, especially when giant globs of water began to float from the ocean, and orbit around her position. She had spent 5000 years, trapped in a mirror, with reason, without cause, and without anyone there to comfort her. Now she meets the only one in centuries who truly listened to her, helped her in a way no one else had, only for three gems, three rebels to stop that. Yeah, she's not going to be merciful.  
"Guys, wait" Voiced the concerned half human. "This isn't what I wanted. We mean you no harm. If you guys want me to stay longer, then…." He tried to reason. Unfortunately, the young boy's words fall don't  
"Gems, ono my mark, charge at the ship. Don't let them off planet!" commanded the Gem leader.  
"GOOOO!"  
All three pounced in the direction of the three homeworlders, who quickly jumped out the way, hoping that they avoided the full brunt of that attack. They look behind them, expecting a crater of some kind, only to be shocked with horror as they saw the Gems, pounding senselessly on the vessel.  
"Oh no!" Carnelian screamed. "If they brake the ship, then we won't be able to make it off Earth. We'll be stuck here!"  
"What!?" Lapis shouted with worry and fatigue. She began to shake and shiver as the water both around her and in the ocean began to roar with the ferocity of a lion. "NOOOOOOOO!" The earth began to shake as both sides begin to turn their heads. She begins to use the surrounding water to lift herself up. All of them, they stared at the slowly rising ocean Gem began to show off her power.  
"Crystal Gems, all they do is cause pain, they just take away everything we love, everything that I love, my title, my form, my homelworld!" She shouts to the heaven as the crystal gems begin to back away in fear.  
"Now I'll take your lives" she says as a giant hand begins to form from the ocean, shadowing over the crystalline Heroines. "I AM LAPIS LAZULI, AND YOU CAN'T KEEP ME TRAPPED HERE ANYMORE!" she proclaims as she prepares to do the deed.  
"Lapis, wait!" Steven shouted, hoping to catch her attention. Luckily, Lapis hears his plead, and hears it out.  
"I know you're angry at them. I know that Crystal Gems are probably the reason why you were trapped so long, but you can't hold on to that anger." She tilts her head in confusion as she uses the water to lower herself. "Please, when you let your emotions take control, you'll still be trapped! Trapped in a state of mind, one that you might never brake out of."  
Lapis absorbs the knowledge of the human quartz. Never had she ever heard such advice from another Gem, such sincerity, such wisdom, such love for another.  
"I can help you! I can get you through this! We can take this on together! But only if you let go of your anger, your hate."  
"But they hurt me! They threatened to take away my home, your home! Don't you want to be with your family? Your diamond, your mother?" she countered.  
"Yes, but if I allow this, if I myself be like them, then I'd never be able to face her again! Don't stoop to their level, Lapis. Be the better Gem, be the Gem I know you can truly be." He pleads with tears watering down like a small spring. He stretches out his hand, hoping she'd take his offer.  
Lapis heart, well, is she had one, shattered as she saw the young soldier cry. She, somehow felt how sad he was, these emotions, this sadness, she had never experienced this before, and she wasn't sure if see ever wanted to again. What she did know, was that this Gem was reaching out to her, and she'd be a fool if she didn't take it.  
She finally lowered herself down. She greeted him face to face, as she grabbed his hand.  
"What is your word, my Quartz." She humbly bowed, half respectful, half mockingly playful.  
"Good, I'm glad that we got that out of the way. Now, we….  
CLANK  
At that very moment, Steven jawed dropped as she fell to the ground, unconscious.  
Steven picks her off the ground, and sees the source of the attack.  
A gauntlet.  
Garnet.  
"Steven, back away! She's dangerous!" Pearl Shouted.  
Steven was stunned. So was Carnelian. Was everything they said to the Gems, not entering their heads? Did they not want peace? Did the enjoy hurting others? Well Steven had enough. All the anger, everything that he has been holding back, has finally reached its boiling point.  
"What right, what right do any of you have to say that! You of all people, don't have the right to say that about us!"  
"Steven, calm down, there's a reason why. If you go back, homeworld will….." Garnet tried to explain.  
"No, don't make this about me, about homeworld. I was already making peace with her, and you decided to attack without reason."  
"Without reason, Steven, she was about to crush us." Pearl tried to defend herself.  
"Yeah, because of the trauma caused be you people! Caused by the fact that you don't fight for peace. You fight because you like it! You are so caught up in the fighting, that you don't even consider the peace solution. Is that what you've been taught? It that what your leader taught you?"  
"Steven, your mom…" Amethyst tried to explain. All three Gems were quite upset, and scared. Never before had they been cornered like this. What made the Gems really uncomfortable was the small part was that couldn't help but agree with them.  
"Rose Quartz was NOT MY MOM! I AM THE SON OF BLUE DIAMOND!" He screamed, like it was the only thing that matter to him.  
Before they could continue, a loud crash was heard. The large hand that lapis built had finally fallen due to the Lazuli's lack of conciseness. It had smashed all on the ship. Carnelian cried out in bafflement.  
Their ship was destroyed.  
They were stuck

.  
Meanwhile, back on homeworld, sitting in the Palanquin, Blue Diamond found herself overwhelmed with a swirl of emotions. She cried a river of tears, yet she was not sad.  
She knew there was only one explanation for this.  
"Steven, my son, is in trouble."

Next time, Steven and Carnelian adjust while Lapis gets off world.


	16. Chapter 16

Nothing made sense.  
Nothing about what just happened made any sense. Why would Lapis end up in a mirror in the first place if she didn't even fight during the war? Why did Rose Quartz ( he was not going to call her mother anytime soon ) ever want a son in the first place? Why did the Gem's still press on to fight, when it was clear nothing was going to be done by fighting? Why were they so insistent that anything connected to homeworld is evil?

All these questions were only becoming vaguer as Steven held Lapis in his arms, just wishing that she would regain conciseness. But she didn't move a muscle. In fact, her physical form seemed to glitch out every few seconds. And every time she did, Steven's concern for her condition and safety only grew.

The Gems could only stand back and watch Steven's concern over the former mirror Gem, thought that was mostly because Carnelian was right in front of them, with a treating stare as she whipped her weapon towards the Rebels.  
"Why would you hurt his friend?! She was calming down! Steven was getting through to her! Didn't you listen to anything that I told you about homeworld?! How he's changed it for the better!? Do you seriously doubt the abilities of Steven?!" She shouted accursedly.  
Pearl was obviously offended by the remark, as she was speechless before defending themselves, "Wha-t? N-ooo, of course not! Steven's accomplished more than we could ever dream of or ask of him! It's just…." She trails off, obviously nervous about what she was going to say next. Fortunately for her, Garnet had no hesitations for such things.

"If Lapis gets off homeworld, it'll start a chain of events that will bring on the end of the earth. If we are to protect it and Steven's future, we must prevent any off-planet travel. That means no one gets off this beach!" Garnet shouted, with fierce determination to make that happen.  
"What are you talking…." Carnelian starts, before a realization suddenly comes to light. "Wait a minute, your part Sapphire, aren't you?" She asked. Garnet herself says nothing, the silence however answers for her.

"I knew it! You're that Sapphire that fused with that Ruby, aren't you? She was the one that got away. Blue Diamond used to tell tales of the "monstrous abomination" that fled from her court." Garnets face just cringes, as she holds in every piece of anger (aka Ruby).  
Carnelian just continues her verbal assault. "You know that future vison is only good at seeing possibilities. In the state you're in, it's practically useless. Your angry, frustrated, and irrational. You're only going to see the bad future if you mind is still like that!" Carnelian emphasized. "It really doesn't help that you have a ruby of all things constantly bonded to you. All that built-up anger and stupidity is dulling the full potential of your visons."

"N-nono!" Garnet's word began to fall at the hearing of this revelation. "You're lying! You work for homeworld! For Blue Diamond!" She rationalized.  
"Seriously, we're back to this? Are you going to let your own petty grudge against your leader cloud you mind that much? Or has being bonded to that Ruby made you that stu….." she started.  
POW  
The next thing that Carnelian knew, she was flat on her back with a face full of fist, as Garnet, at full speed, sucker punched her, the only thing following it was an irritated voice as Garnet prepared to poof the red quartz.  
"No one calls her stupid." She said in a rather Sapphire-ry voice.  
Clank  
Before the final blow was struck, Steven appeared with his shield, blocking the impact of the gauntlets, stopping Garnet's attack. What was really shocking hear, was the fact that Steven seemed to be forcing Garnet back as he slowly began to press forward. Pearl and Amethyst jaws dropped at the feat being performed in front of them was unfolding.

Garnet herself, had never been more scared in her life. Not only did they have the fate of the earth to question, she was now about to fight the gem that she swore she would never let hurt, and that very same Gem, seemed to have now quarrel with fighting.  
"Carnelian! Take care of the other two! The fusion's mine!" Steven shouted as Carnelian began to shrug off the damage.  
"On it!" She saluted as she spin-dashed towards the weaker gems, encircling them in a closed space. Pearl, not willing to let Steven make the biggest mistake of his life, tried to ignore her as she made a jump towards Steven's direction.

"Oh, no you don't!" Carnelian screamed as she jumped in the air, continuing her spin dash as she made contact with the defective pearl. This knocks the wind out of her, sending her straight down. Spirals began to form in her eyes as she lays in the sand with a rather amusing expression on her space.

"Not bad, but you haven't seen a real spin dash, like mine!" Amethyst bragged as she got out two flaming whips, and encircles herself in them as she made a fiery charge at her, who seems to yawn at this. She simply moves to the left, which cause Amethyst to completely miss her mark, though this does little to stop her as she makes a U-turn and charges at Carnelian once again. Carnelian just grabs a hold of her weapon, and unscrews one of the spike balls from the chain. She wait until the purple Quartz is about five feet away from her, and throws the little ball at the attacking Gem. This casues the ball of fury that is Amethyst to explode in an impressive show of force. Once the smoke clears, Amethyst looks up, confused at what just happened.

"Rhodonite taught every Quartz to use every part of their powers, even using the parts that none of us really thought about. He was able to catch me off guard one time with these little suckers. Neat, huh?" Carnelian explained.  
Amethyst just smirked as she got up. "I'll admit, that trick ain't half bad, but I am guessing you've never had anything like this before!" She begun to glow and get bigger as the muscles in her arms grew in mass and size. Hair on her chest began to stick out as her uniform changed in a leotard. Finally, a bright purple mask covered her face, making her all the more cat like. "For the purple Puma is going to pound you into the ground!" She poses, hoping that she had a leg up on the Red Quartz.

However, the Red Gem just applauded. "Wow, you have one of those two. Steven helped me with mine." She glows and changes in a similar manner, until she was almost a exact duplicat of Amethyst, except her head and ears were shifted into those of a cat-like creature, and she had a spikey tail. "Cause the Crimson Cougar is going to crush you like a can! Whadaya think?" She asks curiously.  
Ameythyst groans loudly as she charges toward Carnelian. "Uh, why do you always have to take everything!" She shouts.  
No way is she going to lose to this copycat.  
Only she had the right to be Steven's sister.

While that one sided, competition was going one, Steven was in the middle of fighting Garnet.  
Well, fight might be a strong word for that. It was more like Steven throwing a series of kicks, punched and shield slashes while Garnet slowly tried to back away, not wanting to hurt a hair on his head.

"Come on! You like to hit people behind their backs for no reason, why should fighting me be any different?!" He said as his frustration just grew more and more.

"Steven, your distraught. I know that the decision's I've made seem questionable, but know that I'm doing what's best for…"  
"For what! So far, all I know from your judgment is that it's biased!" Steven accuses as he throws out his shield, though it flies past Garnet, who assumes that it missed out of anger from Steven. "You say you attack lapis and destroy my ship because it will lead to the destruction of the Earth! But news flash: Its already going to be destroyed!"  
"What? Steven what are….."

"If you had bothered to ask or listen, I would've told you! That was mission! To check out why the Robonoids haven't responded, aka you guys, and clear it. The reason why is because deep within this planet is a giant geo weapon that will crush the earth as soon as it awakens"  
"Steven, ho-w-. why. J-ust why?" Garnet falls apart. Never before would she think Steven would help in such an endeavor.  
"Because I was asked by my Diamond, by the one who raised me! Do you think I want to let this planet die!? I had plans to try to change the Diamond's minds! To convince them that the earth is more valuable kept alive than dead! The Gems on homeworld aren't the heartless beings you make them out to be! They can listen, they can change! But if being on Earth means becoming as irrational and heatless as you, than maybe Earth deserves the fate given to it!"

"Noooo! St-eeee-ven?" Garnet began to stutter, as her demeanor begins to fall. She couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. Her weapons fade away as she struggles to comprehend the weight of his words.  
This was the chance that Steven was looking for. With her guard down and weapons gone, Steven charged forward, and launched a fist right in her chess, knowing her back and losing her balance. Not giving her the chance to regain her composure, Steven jumped high in the air, higher than Garnet had even seen a human jump, and he bubbled himself, as he came down with the blazing speed of a bullet, right in Garnet's direction.  
Whomp!

Garnet manages to block the force of the bubble from harming her, but it didn't stop her from sinking into the ground,  
Seeing how she was still holding the bubble, Steven made dozens of spikes appear on the surface of it, and launched them all in Garnets direction.

This sends Garnet flying into the air. Scratched and scathed, only by sure determination does Garnet muster the strength to get up, only succeeding in rising to her knees.  
"Steven, please, there is still time! Please, stop this madness!" Garnet pleaded.  
"That's exactly what I'm doing" her said devoid of emotion as he began to take out Rose's sword, it gleaming blade pointed right in Garnet's direction. "Ending the madness." He begins to charge at the permafusion.  
All Garnet could do is plead more as Steven prepared to slice her. "Please Steven, listen to reason!"  
"No! No more reasoning, no more fighting, no more chaos!" He proclaims as her gets near her.  
SLASH  
Poof  
Garnets physical form disappear as her two gemstones fall to the sand. Steven slowly puts the sword back in its scabbard.  
"No more betrayal." Steven states as he sheds a tear.  
Steven looks back at Carnelian, who had returned to her normal form. She was sitting casually on Amethyst, who was currently tied up in her own whip. "Lucky." She says in disdains as she prepared to get use to her position by sleeping.  
The two homeworlders just rolled their eyes as they both set their sights on the unconscious pearl, who had just gotten up. "What did I miss?" She says, still on a daze.  
"Boomerang shield." Steven said dryly.  
"Boomer wha.." Pearl didn't even get to finish her confused statement as the shield that Steven threw earlier came back and sliced through her neck, instantly poofing her.

"Heh, the reactions never get old." Carnelian laughs in good humor, while Steven still bore the same expression he had when he poofed Garnet. "Soo what do we do with these guys?" Carnelian asks.  
Steven thinks for a moment before responding. "Leave the Amethyst tied up and bubble the other three. Then take all of them to the house, I don't want anyone around here getting suspicious."

"On it, little Q-bro." Carnelian said joke fully as she prepared to do her Job.  
Steven, all the while, was having trouble taking this all in. He just fought with his first family. He beat them, poofed them even. How could he ever do such a thing? And was he even in the right to do so? Will he really take part in destroying a planet that's still full of life?  
Steven looks at the body of the unconscious Lazuli, which began to move again. He then shrugs off the feelings of his current situation to turn his attention towards the wellbeing of his new friend.

"Rho-rhodonite, is that you? I'm, I'm so sorry that I lost myself. Thanks to me, the Crystal gems destroyed the ship, and now we're all stuck on…." She apologized once he was close enough.  
Steven didn't want to hear any of it. He just stopped her apology with a hug. "No, don't you dare apologize. You just did what anyone would've done in the same situation. It's okay to express pain and grief, stars know how many times I have. Even the Diamonds aren't immune to it from time to time." Steven responded.  
"Still though, I wish that I could do something, but with my gem cracked, my powers won't be enough to do anything.  
Steven eyes got wide when she mentioned her gem. He gets a good look at it and sure enough, there was a huge crack straight down the middle of it. It was wonder that it stayed together at all.

"Wait, I have something to fix that" he said as he licked his palm and hovered it over the damaged gemstone. "But it might feel a little weird."  
"What do you…. " Lapis didn't even get to finish as Steven placed the saliva covered had right on top of it, make Lapis shudder at the cool and wet sensation. But all that passed as she was lifted in the air, with bright light shimmering out of the gem as the cracks began to close. Soon, two elegant, light blue purified water wings sprouted out them. Lapis was ecstatic. She never thought she would ever feel the trill and feel of the air again. And it was all thanks to the little, strong Quartz that she believed in. She picked him up and held him close.  
"Thank, thank you , thank you." She repeated, but it was not enough. She felt like she could say thank you for all eternity and it still would never be enough to repay him for his help and kindness. Suddenly, she got a wild idea. Maybe it was the heat of the moment. Maybe it was her growing affection for the little gem, but whatever the case, she placed her lips on his cheek, and kissed him.  
Steven blushed immediately. Sure, such signs of affection were not alien to him. Blue diamond and the zoo humans kissed him all the time. But this felt different for Steven. Know he felt a tingly feeling deep inside him, a feeling that he never felt before. It was strange, and alien, and it made him feel nice, but nervous at the same time. Not long after that, Lapis placed the little Quartz down, who was still blushing.  
"What is thy word, my Quartz?" She bowed."

Steven barely held it together as he gave out his next command.  
"Oka-y now that you can fly, I need you to fly out and find a green hand like ship. From there, tell the Peridot that its clear to land, the interference is gone. And make sure that you tell them Rhodonite sent you.  
Lapis nodded as she flew out. Steven could only smile as she left the Planet's atmosphere.  
"See ya Lapis, see you soon."

Whoa, this is more than I thought it would be. Maybe I can finally reach 3,000 words before the story ends.  
Next, Steven explores the world that is beach city, and meets a face he thought he'd never see again.


	17. Chapter 17

Emptiness.  
Adj: containing nothing; not filled or occupied.  
Alt: Emptiness. (of words or a gesture) lacking meaning or sincerity, hollow feeling.  
At least, those were the definitions he learned from Blue Pearl, because right at that moment, that's exactly how he felt now. After fighting in the name of Blue Diamond, his mother, standing up for her, fighting his first family for her, he felt empty. He couldn't really place the feeling he was experiencing. Was it guilt, sadness, regret, confusion? He wished Blue Pearl was here to help him. Despite her quiet and blank demeanor, she often expressed a wide variety of emotions, only displaying them for him, of course. She had more emotional maturity and understanding than anyone he has ever met, himself included, but she prefers to be quiet about it, mostly due to the status of Pearls. Sometimes, when he was younger, he would ask if she was upset with anything.

"No, young Quartz, I am perfectly find with my place. This is what Pearls likes me are made for, so I cannot disagree." Blue pearl said, quite contempt with her existence.  
"B—b-but, you-r greaaaat! You can do so much more than what the others say! Your smart, your wise, and you're a great a teaching me things. I know you deserve far better than this!?" A much younger Steven argued, as her snuggled up to her.  
The blue gem smiled as she put him in her arms. "Ah, but don't you see, I already have that. Thanks to you, I have the privilege of teaching and watching over the kindest, sweetest thing in the universe, and I wouldn't trade that or the highest position in Homeworld, because nothing can compare to you, little Quartz.

Steven sighed at the memory, at the wise words of Blue Pearl, at the very thought of his family. At least he still had Carnelian on earth until Jasper and Peridot came back with Lapis. Then he could leave and leave all this nonsense behind him. This whole mission had been, in the words of Peridot, disorderly to say the least.  
But now, at the current moment, Steven was bored. He thought about going to into the house, but that would mean facing Amethyst, and the last thing he wanted to do was talk to the Crystal Gems. He simply stared at the beach, feeling the soft, yet course texture of the sand. He caught the scent of the salty, yet fresh waves of the water. At the moment, Steven felt at peace for the first time since he's landed on the Planet. He turns his attention towards the house, the structure that once was his home. Vague memories of the Gems building it came to mind. Those were the days when they were happy, and actually sensible people. Back when they were all together, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Dad, and ….  
Wait.  
Dad  
Daddy  
Father  
Weird man with a beard and guitar.  
Steven's eye's widened at the recollection of his human Parent. For the first time in years, Steven was actually on the same planet as him. This was his chance to finally reunite with his father, the one who taught him all about family in the first place. He could even bring him back to homeworld, have him meet with Blue Diamond and the other members of his family. Steven was literally squealing with anticipation now. He had a new drive, a new mission, and a new attitude. Now all he needed to do was find him. Shouldn't be that hard, right?

4 hours later.  
Yeah, it was just as hard as trying to find the Sword for Rose's scabbard. At least during that time, he had help and knew at least some idea where it was. But when it came to his father, he was even more clueless than the leggey Ruby on a good day. Walking into and seeing the little town was alien for the little half-gem. He was so used to the grand structures of pure crystal on homeworld, but everything here seemed a little dull and short. None of the buildings stood up more than ten feet, a distance any normal gem could surpass. And all the people, there were everywhere, expressing their own personalities, their own opinions. A rather personal looking one in some sort of business suit was proclaiming something about election, whatever that meant. A huge black man was waving in every direction, showing a large, and rather creepy looking smile that just rubbed people the wrong way. And then there was the small young kid. He had a weird shaped head, and he never expressed anything, but the way his eyes stared at you, made you feel like you were violated.  
Steven just smiled at the sights he was seeing. Steven on homeworld often promotied such behavior and attitude, so it was a little bazaar, but refreshing, to see everyone around him doing what he did. People, as Steven observed, seemed so complicated, yet simple to understand. He wondered if that was the reason why Pink Diamond had the zoo in the first place, to study the uniqueness of Humans.  
Steven wasn't even paying attention to where he was going as he walked in front of some convenience store when…  
smack  
5 minutes later.  
"Hello, hello? Are you okay, can you hear me?"  
Ugggg  
Steven slowly lifted his eyes up as he brought his hand to his hand. Man, how could he take on armies without hesitation, yet fall flat to a little wooded door? Jasper would be laughing it up if she ever saw this.  
Steven waited about another minute as he met face to face with his "accidental attacker." His vison was still a little disoriented, so everything was still a blur.  
"Are you okay, I accidently knocked you out as I was exiting. I'm so sorry." The blur cleared up, and revealed a girl, about his age, maybe younger. She had clean and clear dark skin. She wore a white top with a sky blue skirt, along with long, boot like shoes. She wore a hat, and had red glasses. Steven took a long look at her. He had to admit, she was pretty cute. A small blush formed as he continued to stare at her. Unfortunaley, his stare and blush did not go unnoticed by her.  
"Uh, are you okay? You look a little red." She curiously states.  
Realizing now what he was doing, he immediately picks himself up from the ground. "OOOj, i=itssss, i-tsss, its fine, nothing to worry about, I ',m, I'm" he continues to stammer, failing to regain composure as he falls back down.  
Before anything else could be said, a voice called out to them from inside the store, in rather taunting tone, "looks like the little shy-fly has a new boyfriend." Said the obnoxious voice that belonged to a tall, teenage human with lobes in his ears.  
"Lars! Stop being a jerk and actually help him." Shouted an annoyed, short and blonde female. She got out from the counter she was behind and walked towards them, reaching out her hand to him. "Sorry about that, Lars just has no decency for anyone."  
"Uh, I can still hear you, Sadie." Lars called out.  
"I know, that's why I said it out loud." Sadie dryly countered as she offered to help the fallen boy up. Steven kindly accepts the offer as she helps him regain balance. "I'm guessing you're new around here, judging by your clothes." She guesses.  
"Uh, yeah, I'm just here on business actually" Steven says before he was interrupted by the rude male teenager.  
"Pfff, what kind of job would someone assign a runt like you."  
"Lars, really, that was just out of nowhere." Sadie began to demean, but Steven spoke up before she should continue.  
"Actually, I've been specially assigned by my superiors to take part in a special task to clear away any interference and trouble my associates might run into when they finally arrive upon this destination." Steven bluntly put, giving him Peridot's exact definition of the mission. He loved how there was almost zero tact in her voice.  
The two girls were just bewildered at the long and needlessly complicated explanation he gave, though this did not deter Lars from insulting him more.  
"Really? You beginning to sound like those colorful ladies that live on the beach. I thought you had to be a super-hot girl to be one, not some pudgy, kid wanabe." Lars snickered at his insult.  
Steven was really getting tired of this pointless prattle. Soo, he merely walked right up to Lars and pulled him down by the shirt.  
"Hey! What are you…." He started, before Steven got right in his face.  
"For the record, only 3% of my body is fat. The rest is 175 pounds of pure muscle." As to prove his point, Steven pulled Lars overhead, and brought him straight down on the floor on his back.  
The girls just stared in awe at what they had just witnessed. Lars was one to never be put in his place, so this was a rare treat for the both of them.  
"Owwwwww." Lars said in a daze. This was about the most humiliating situation he has been in.  
"And by the way, if I was a super-hot girl, then why would I be talking to you?" Steven gave his own snicker as he exited the building. The dark-skinned girl after a little chuckle followed after him, which left Sadie laughing her guts out as Lars struggled to get up from his spot. Now it was the most humiliating moment of his life.  
"Uh, don't we have to get back to work?" Lars said, very annoyed by everything.

"Wait up!" the girl shouted as she tried to catch up. Steven turned around to see the girl that made him fluster. On one hand, he was excited that this girl decided to come to him, but on the other hand, he really needed to find his father soon. Nonetheless, he decided to turn his attention to her.  
"Oh hey, look, if this is about the scene I caused earlier, I'm sorry, but that guy was a jerk and I felt…"  
"Oh, no, that was great! He's always like that whenever I try to go there, trust me you did him a favor."  
"Oh, thanks, I think. "Steven says rather sheepishly. "So, then why did you follow me?"  
"Oh-h" she says, getting a little nervous herself. "I-II was wondering, exactly how you did that. NNot that I'm questioning the whole 175 pounds of muscle! I'm just a little curious about how you got that way, not that i-, I really should stop talking, should i?" She asks.  
"OOOh, nonono! It's okay, I like the sound of your voice." He immediately realizes how embarrassing that sounded as she began to blush. "Not that I meant it like that, or, or that I didn't, it's just your voice sounds cute when your flustered." His face became even redder as the words escape his mouth.  
Now he had two little embarrassed and nervous little teens. Neither said anything as they continue to stare off into space, trying hard not to make the situation any more awkward than it already had become. Finally, Steven decided to break the mold. "Let's start over with the introduction, and move on from there, okay?" She nods at the suggestion.  
"I'm Steven."  
"I'm Connie"  
"Great, and to answer you earlier question, let's just say my sister knows how to be very motivating. She taught me almost everything I know about strength and combat."  
"Combat, what do you mean? Does this have to do with your job?"  
"Yeah, a little. I travel to a lot of strange places, sometimes it calm and cool, other times it can be dangerous and life threatening, so I have to prepare anything that comes my way."  
"Like what?"  
"Oh. The basic's. Rough mountain terrains, various weather disaters, the occasional ballistic beast, traitorous gems, all the simple stuff."  
"Wait, what, I'm sorry,, I lost you at tratorious gems."  
"Oh, right, Rumor had it that earth had no prior knowledge of Gems on earth. Well, we like to keep a low profile, but I'm actually from space.  
"What. Get out of here!" She exclaimed. This was the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her: making a new friend from outer space.  
"Yep, I'm actually part human. My fathers from earth, but my mother…" he gets quiet at that remark," well, let's just say she was a gem, and she gave that gem to me. "He lifts up the shirt part of his uniform, and reveals a bright pink gemstone on his naval. "I usually use this to make shields and bubbles." He demonstrates by making a giant bubble around them, right before popping it. " I can't tell you how many times I've gotten stuck in there."  
"Wow" she said, bewildered. "Your life sounds amazing and action packed. All I ever do is read on the beach, at least when I'm not in tennis practice, or at violin class."  
"Yeah, my life can be actioned packed, but sometimes I wish it could be a little simpler. On days when I'm not busy, I look to the sky and play my ukulele, singing songs that my dad used to sing to me before I went to bed." Steven smiles at the memory, but realizes that he was getting off track. "AAAHHHHH, why do I keep forgetting this? Sorry Connie, but I really need to find my Dad. You wouldn't have happened to know exactly where A Mr. Greg Universe is, do you?"  
"Greg Universe? I think that's the guy who runs the car wash." Connie states. "It's right at the end of the street." She would've walked along with him to show him, but she was stopped by a sudden hug from Steven.  
"Oh, thank you! You don't know how much this really means to me." He thanked. And the entire time, Connie was blushing harder than she ever blushed before. She's never so much as shook hands with another kid her age, much less receive a hug from one. As he ran off to complete his mission, one thing was clear for Connie. This was the start of a beautiful relationship.

And I could never be, never be ready for this.  
This melancholy tone echoed through the was as one Mr. Universe sat in his car, completely depressed. 8 years. 8 years since Steven disappeared. 8 years since the last part of Rose, his love, vanished from his life. Without him, Greg's life became empty and driveless. He stopped going on tours, seeing no point in making money now. He still played for beach city at least once or twice in the colder seasons, but a least then, they served the purpose for helping the town's income. With Rose's legacy, without his little Stu-ball, his life had no purpose. He never blamed the gems, no, they blamed themselves too much for him to even be mad at him. If anything, they were made at him for taking away their leader, giving something better in return, only for them to lose it all over again, and who could blame them. If only Greg had been in Steven's life more, if only he had ignored the Gem's contempt for him, and be there to raise him as a father should. If only he could….  
"Dad". A voice. Nobody really came up to talk to Greg, aside getting their car washed. Everyone in beach city knew about Steven, and so, they all decided to leave him in peace. But to hear a voice, a young voice at that, was new to the ears of the Rockstar. And why would it say that, was it some lost kid or…  
"Dad. Dad." The voice came closer, and closer, like it was moving towards him. And the voice sounded vaguely familiar. It was a voiced he knew well, but something seemed off about it, like it had aged a little.  
"Dad. Dad."  
Finally, Greg decided to get up. It was a little hard to do to, he had not moved all day, mostly because he found no reason to. He walked in the direction of the voice, hoping he could help them find whoever they were looking for, or at the very least, tell them to be quiet.  
"Dadd!" Now Greg could make out the image of the source of the yelling. It was a kid. A kid in some sort of blue jump suit. Who would wear such a thing in the middle of summer? Greg got even closer and her was able to get a clearer look at his face. It was roundish, with slight chubbiness in the cheeks. His eyes where filled with the innocence of any child, but that seem to just glimmer off the little guy. His hair was curly and long, and a little shaggy, as it went a little pass the shoulders. It kind of reminded him of his hair, with a little but of…  
Wait, no, could it be?  
Right at the at moment, Steven noticed the middle-aged man looking right at him. And as soon as he did, he immediately recognized him.  
Bald man. Check  
Beard. Check.  
Add a gutair in the picture, and you have Steven's dad.  
After all this time, Steven never forgot the face of the one who gave him his first feeling of family.  
"Dad." Steven said as he approached.  
Greg just stood in silence. No way, how….?  
"It's me, Steven. I went away at five." Tears began to form as the both remembered the day they lost each other. "You fell in love with Rose Quartz, you constantly say, "If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs."  
Greg finally lost it. He ran up to his long-lost son and for the first time in eight years, he held him, hugged him. He just felt the love as Steven returned the embrace.  
"But, it can't be, the gems, you couldn't, how?" Greg continued to question, hoping that this wasn't a dream or some trick.  
"No dad, I'm here, I'm back, and I will never leave you again."

Finally, I've reached my first 3,000 word chapter, Next stop, 4,000. I hope you enjoyed it, I actually didn't plan on putting Connie in now, but, you know, things change.  
Next time, Carnelian and Amethyst bond while Greg and Steven catch up.


	18. Chapter 18

"… And that's why I was the most 2nd most feared being in Blue Diamond's court." Steven ended with a voice full of pride.  
"Wow, and you accomplished that by the time you were nine, with nothing but your own wits and skill?" His dad asked curiously.  
"And fruit, don't forget fruit." Steven seriously emphasized.

After about an hour of non-stop and crying, Steven took the next two hours to explain exactly where he has been for the last 8 years. He told his father everything, from the encounter with Blue Diamond, to his makeshift family with her, Carnelian and Blue Pearl, to him becoming one of Blue Diamonds most valued and loved Gem in all the court. He told about the adventures with the Quartzes, how he led his own team of Gems to do practically impossible missions. Greg, while initially shocked, was quite impressed. This was far from anything he thought Steven would ever encounter, but he was happy that his son turned out alright. No, he was proud of what his son accomplished in his time in space. It seemed Steven turned into an even better person that either he or Rose could ever want him to be.  
"Steven…" Greg said a little hesitantly," I'm so sorry that I lost you. I'm sorry that I put my Job ahead of you, If I wasn't so focused on how the Gems felt about me, then…."

"Dad, please, I've heard enough apologies today." Steven interrupted, starting to get a little uncomfortable. "I 've never held any ill will against you or the Gems for the past. You didn't lose me, it was just, well, life was just out of your hand to control anything." Steven assured his father. " You don't have to hold any guilt for that. Besides, I would've never met my mother if it didn't happen."  
Greg was confused, Steven explained to him about how he had a family on homeworld, but he didn't label anyone as his mother. "What do you mean? Who was your mother?"

"Blue Diamond." Steven said, which made Greg's eyes widen in shock. Greg had heard about the Diamonds briefly from Rose, though not much, since they seemed to be a sensitive topic for her. He knew how they were the leaders, how they put themselves above all other Gems, and how she had to shatter the one that created her to preserve the life of the planet. Greg didn't say anything though, he wanted to know how exactly could a Diamond, a being who the Gems painted as cruel and cold-hearted beings with no remorse, could ever hold the title of mother  
"I don't think I told you this, but when I first met her, I was crying. Not because I was alone, or lost, or hurt, but because she was sad. I have some sort of, of, emotional connection to people. I can sense their feelings, and I can even feel them myself." Steven explained to the best of his ability. "And when I was sitting in that bush, I felt her sadness, her remorse, the sorrow she felt for Pink Diamond. She loved her, she cherished her, and wished with every fiber of her being for some sort of sign from her." Steven pauses for a second as he takes a moment to dry his eyes. "That's when she noticed me, a little, human child, crying her tears. I tried to comfort her to the best of my ability. I told how my mother gave up her life for me."

Greg's eyes began to water. Rose's death will always be one of his most painful times, but for now, he was happy to see that Steven was able to make it a good thing.  
"Giving her life was the greatest act of love she could give me, and I know how much she must've love me to end it for me." At this part, Steven winced, not knowing how true that really was anymore, but he continues nonetheless. " I told to remember not the Death of Pink Diamond, but to remember the life of her, the good things that she accomplished, the happiness she had by being with her, because my remembering the good, you not only honor the ones that have fallen, but they continue to live on in you."  
Greg was now weeping, something Steven honestly didn't expect. Greg gave another look at his son before embracing him again. Steven had become a better person then he could ever dream of becoming, mature, emotionally stable, in other words, everything Greg was not when he was younger.

Steven, however was starting to get really uncomfortable. Sure, he was no stranger to open affection, but he had always imagined his father, a little less clingy than this, "what's that saying, never meet your heroes?" he thought. Now all the emotional stuff was starting to make sense.  
Finally, Greg let go, letting Steven continue. Steven, despite what just happened, continues as if nothing had interrupted him. "Well, that's when she took me into space, where she kept me hidden from others, aside from a select few. She cared for my every need, she made sure I was fed, rested, and well nurtured. No to long after, I started call her mom, which she embraced. She's been a mother to me ever since." Steven smile fondly. "Sometimes she even calls me "the gift of a Diamond."

As soon as the tears dried up, Greg open his mouth. "Soo what the Gems said about the Diamonds, wasn't true.?"  
"Honestly dad, I don't know. Maybe they were at some point, but that's not how they are now. They aren't incapable of compassion or love, nobody on homeworld is. They have the same feelings as you and me, and they can change, they can grow in character. I'm living proof of that."  
"Well, I'm glad that you have a home, son, I can't tell how happy I am to know that you weren't alone all these years. I 'm glad the Blue Diamond was there to give you the love you needed."  
"You would've love to meet her, everything that I've taught her and the rest of homeworld all came from you. You're the reason that I was able to make any impact on homeworld at all."  
"Nah, your just being modest. Your Steven, you always find a way."  
"Now, you definitely have a part to play. I'll show you." Steven stands up and pulls his dad's hand.  
"Whoa, stu-ball, where are we going?"  
"We're going to see my sister."

Speaking of which, the Red Quartz was just lying around, bored as she watched the tied-up Amethyst, who had awoken from her little nap. Carnelian tried to ignore it, but the glare of her fellow earth born Gem was too much for her to take.  
"UGGGGGGGGGGGH! IF YOUR GOING TO SAY SOMERHING, SAYIT NOW INSTEAD OF STARING AT ME LIKE A MORON!" She shouted, finally tired of the stupidity of it all.

"You know what this was about, you going on about how Steven's your brother! He's mine! You took that away from me, and if I wasn't tied up, I'd pop you on the spot!" She struggles to get free, only to meet the same struggle that she had before.  
"Uhhh, are you seriously still on that, it's not my fault that we bonded. There were tons of other Gems he could've met that day, Agate, skinny, or the dozens of other Amethysts that we have! I just happened to be at the right place at the right time."  
"Don't you see, it's not just you, it's everything that you stand for! You were there to help out when he struggled. You were there to get him over his troubles, you helped him not feel like a failure!" Carnelian heads shifts at this, since what she was saying didn't really fit the situation with Steven, in fact, it was the other way around.  
Ding

A light bulb goes off in Carnelian's head. That's what that was about.  
Carnelian's suspicion was only proven as Amethyst went on, her voice only getter quieter and sadder. "You helped him when he was low, when he questioned his own existence." Amethyst manages to sit up as she lowers her head. "I never asked to be made, I never asked to be created for war, for homeworld. Steven was my chance to prove I could be something other than where I came from. I could show him, him that I can be loving, can be the support he needed to grow." Tears flowed down as the gem begain to cry.  
Sympathizing, the R3ed Quartz got down, and sat beside Amethyst, much to said Gem's confusion.

"It's beginning to sound like you're the one that needed Steven. Trust me, I know what that's like. When he first came to homeworld, we Gems of the kindergarten hated ourselves. Sure , we may be able to mask it with silly pranks and smiles, but that never changed what we were. We were made on earth, a world that destroyed our culture, a world, that destroyed our own maker."  
Amethyst looked at her, and really looked at her. It wasn't just the physical appearance. Carnelian was like her in so many ways.  
"But Rhodonite came along and changed all that. He has this way of inspiring Gems making them hope, and, just believing that everything will turn out okay, that everything will be fine. It doesn't matter where you came from or what flaws, weaknesses, or quirks you have, those are what make you, but its your actions that determine what define you. And as Rhodonite says, if every pork chop were perfect…"  
"We wouldn't have hot dogs." Amethyst finished, as she smiled, ignoring the tears flowing down her face. "Even when he was younger, he always had a way to make you feel special, motivate you in ways you never imagined. I guess I was just jealous that you got to be the sister, one he seems to really love and care for." She started to lower her head again.

"You know, when we first met, he was actually looking for you." This makes Amethyst look up in curiousity. "He thought I was Amethyst, you know, you. The "one he always has fun with." The "one that always makes me smile and shows me how fun everything can be." When I first started to train with him, I thought about the gem he always talked about. I always thought how I can be the Gem that he always speaks so highly about? How could I ever be his sister?" Amethyst eyes once again begin to water as she realizes just how wrong she had it.  
Carnelian continues. "Being Rhodonite's Sister is everything to me. He brought me up in a time where I was going to be put down. He is a part of my universe, but that's only because he had you in his universe first. It was only because of you that I'm able to be the sister I am today." Carnelian then breaks away the whip that held Amethyst as she offers her hand to get up, which she kindly accepts.  
"You were his sister first, and right know, he needs both of his sisters to support him. Whadaya say, sis?"  
Amethyst just hugs the little red Gem, who after a little shock, returns it. "I'll be there, for the both of you, sis."

Right at that moment, Steven entered the house with his Dad. "…. Don't worry, Carnelian may be a bit silly and overwhelming, but she, she, she is currently hugging Amethyst." And that was true. Both humans were shocked at the sight before them. Neither were used to seeing their respective Quartz so quiet and emotionally open with anyone else. It was only when Greg coughed that either of them noticed the two intruders. "Uhh, are we interrupting something, or .." He started.

"No, no, we were just having a casual, sisterly hug." Amethyst said, before looking at Steven. "Come on, this sister sandwich needs a little brother the middle" she motioned Steven to come. Steven, was a little hesitant seeings as this was one of the Gems they fought earlier, albeit one he had the least problems with, but still.  
"Come on, Rhody, she's cool, she is a fellow earth Quartz after all." Carnelian said. This convinced Steven. Carney may not be the smartest or most mature, but she was a great judge of Character, and he'd be a fool not to listen to his big sister.  
"All right, what the heck?!" He says as he joins the embrace of his two sisters. It wasn't long before the two older Quartzes shared the same devious idea.  
"Tickle attack on Steven." Amethyst shouted as both began to torment the boy with ticklish laughter.  
"Noooooo! Not the belly, not the belly!" He shouted in laughter. All the while, Greg watched with a smile, not caring what happened in the past few years.  
Because Steven had the one things Greg had always wanted to give him.  
A full, loving family.

Whoa, that was way more emotion than I anticipated. I just love the feels of this show, and Wanted is going to be full of it.  
So, as you can see, Steven is not really going to be upset at Amethyst, one because she herself really didn't do anything to upset him, unlike Pearl and Garnet, and two, I wanted to give Amethyst the time to get along with her "siblings."  
Next time, the family fun time is interrupted by an attack on beach city from a certain insect like gem.


	19. Chapter 19

"So exactly how did you get the name Rhodonite" Asked a curious Amethyst.  
Things really settled down after the siblings bonded over tickling. Greg after a while, left the house, needing to take care of a few things at the wash, but promised Steven that he'd be back soon. Steven assured him that he could take all the time he needed.  
"I'm still here, Dad, and by the honor of my Diamond I swear that you'll never lose me."  
After that bout of assurance, the trio of Quartzes went right back to their bonding. Having enough craziness for one day, the group of siblings decided to calm down and really get to know one another.

"Oh, funny story actually. Sometime before I went to homeworld, a new cut of Gem known as Rhodonite was being developed as a sort of replacement for the Rose Quartz's, since none of the Diamonds felt like they could trust any of them. Unfortunately, though, the process went wrong. None of the right minerals or material was there to make a pure Rhodonite, so to compensate, the Gem came out as a fusion, which unfortunately didn't go to well with the Diamonds." Steven explained, though at the last part, Steven's demeanor seemed to change to a slightly more somber tone.

Amethyst was confused by this, but before she could aske, Carnelian whispered to fill her in. "Rhodonite gets a little sad when he hears about the "off colored gems." He doesn't like it when Gems don't see the full potential of others." Amethyst oooohed at the realization. Even when they were wrong, Steven never liked anyone left feeling or being told they were worthless.  
"Anyways" Steven continued once he found the urge to continue. "From what I heard, the Rhodonite that was made ended up running off, never being seen again. Blue Diamond really wanted me to grow within her courts, so she made up a story on how I just so happened to be an "accidental success amidst the failure" of the project once I developed my powers. I don't think everyone really bought the story, but at least there was enough evidence to support it."

"Yeah, and he has been a valued member of the court since. He's all about fairness within the walls of the court. Rubies have been given more respect and better missions, Pearls can be like another Peridot if you so desire, Lazuli's use their powers to create beautiful works of structures and creativity now, heck, us Quartzes have been given a position of power within the court. And it's all thanks to this little guy right here. He always takes his ideas to Blue Diamond, and Blue Diamond always listens to him." Carnelian says with pride as she scuffles up Steven's hair, which leads to a small smile rom the boy.  
"Yeah, there is still a lot of kinks to work on, and it's far from ideal, but it's a close start, right Carney?"  
"Oh, you got to stop being so modest, Rhodey. This is the best state Homeworld has been in 5000 years. Your more than just a gift of a diamond, you're a gift to all Gems everywhere! "She shouted.  
"Yeah let's give it up to Steven, the best of all Gems!" Amethyst likewise shouted as she picked up Steven and through him in the air as she did when he was a baby.  
"Yeah, Steven!STEVEN!STEVEN!STEVEN!" Both simultaneously shouted as they threw him in the air more and more.  
"Hey. Hey! I get it, put me Down!" Steven laughed as his pleas went completely ignored by the sisterly duo. Steven was reminded of his youth as he felt the wind pass through him as he fell. This was what family was all about. This was what love was all about. He only hoped that…  
Smash  
Smash  
Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssh  
Yeah, like that was going to last long

The sister's flinched as the heard the crumbling noises surround them. The earth shook as the two tried to regain their concentration. Unfortunately, they forgot all about the little brother that they just so happened to throw in the air. Unfortunately, they didn't notice until after Steven hit the floor with a loud smack.  
"Owwww" he shouted as he struggled to get up."  
"Oooops, sorry Rhodey, we…"  
"No time to be concerned over my wellbeing! We need to see what's going on!" Steven commanded as he charged right out the door.  
"Sooo, do we really follow him, because I'm really not one to take orders, not even from my own team." Amethyst questioned.  
"Hey, I don't either, but would you rather listen to yourself, or listen to Steven?" Carnelian countered.  
"Ehhh, good point." She complied as they both ran outside."

Once all of them were on the beach, they were standing in awe at what was causing all the commotion. A giant, insect like creature was on the beach front, scaring away anyone that just so happened to be nearby. It was big and tall, almost 40 feet long. It had a pure white as snow, fluffy mane, and it seemed to have a diamond like back and a pincer at the end of its tail. Its mouth was a large, beak like thing with rows of sharp teeth. Strangely, inside its mouth was an eyeball, but with closer observation, one could tell it was more than an eyeball.  
It was a gem.

"Wait…" Steven started, a little confused at what he was seeing. "Is that, is that Gem, corrupted?"  
"Yeah." Carnelian confirmed. "Though I've never seen a corrupted gem soo, sooo violent and monstery."  
"This is what the Diamond's did to the rebels. Make them monsters? Make them lose their minds?" Steven begins to stutter as he lowers his defense. He had been told about what the diamonds did to make sure no one was able to do something like shattering a Diamond again, but this, was this, is this, did this have to be necessary?"  
Seeing how uncomfortable Steven was getting, Amethyst stepped. "Okay, how about you sit back while I try to…" She started, only to be interrupted by a incoming acid spit.  
"Whoa, I almost forgot how tough this one is." She murmured. But before she could do anything, Steven took out his shield and began to bark orders.  
"Carnelian, I need you to take out that tail pincher, we don't want any more distractions than we do!"  
"On it!" she complied.  
"Amethyst, I need you to take out the legs while I get to the head."  
"Okay, but how are…" Amethyst question is immediately answered when Steven jumps over the Monsters head.  
"What! You can fly?!"  
"Not fly, I jump good."  
Despite the rather confusing answer, Amethyst set that aside for now as she went for the legs. One by one each of them threaten to crush her, but her cat like speed and agility allowed her to be one step a head of the creature. Once she got close enough to the body, she began her spin dash and actually road up the chest of the centipeatle. Once she reached the beak area, she stopped spinning and pulled out two whips, tying up as many arms she could.

Meanwhile, Steven was on top of the head of the beast. He had a crazy idea, but if it worked, then everything would turn out for the better. Slowly but surely, he steadied himself as he walked across the head of the corrupted gem. Right now, he was where the eyes should have been, as he croached on his belly. Now came the tricky part.  
"Hey Carnelian, how are you doing?!" Steven asked as he held on to dear life.  
"Ehhh, I could be better?!" She said a little worriedly as she held down the tail as best as she could. She had the pincher part tied up as she sat on it, though it was clear that it wasn't going to be like that for long. "You might want to hurry up on your plan though."  
"Got it, Amethyst, do you have the legs secured?!"  
"Uh, I think so, at the very least, it's not moving anymore." She said, although she failed to notice that the Centipeatle began to break the whip with the drool leaking from its face.  
"Okay, I need you to open the mouth, and force it open. I'm going to go inside and try to heal her." Steven explained.  
"WHAT!? Steven, if that mouth closes, then you'll be eaten, or worse!" Amethyst worriedly said.  
"Its fine, I handle more dangerous missions in less than ideal situations all the time!"  
But Amethyst wasn't having it, she absolutely was not going to go through with this. "Steven, you know there's another way. You still have the sword, you can just poof the thing and heal it later."

"NO! First off, she's a she, not a thing. She's just scared and alone, she doesn't know what she's doing! I want to help her, but I got to show her first that she has nothing to be afraid of!"  
"But Steven. Rose tried everything with them! No matter what she did, she couldn't bring their mind's back!" She argued, though the mention of Rose seemed to upset him.

"Well, Rose may have tried everything, but that doesn't mean I have. I've been called a lot of things, Steven Universe, Rhodonite, son of Blue Diamond, whatever it is you want to call me, but I'm not Rose! I always find a way to help people, now, do you trust me?  
Amethyst just stood silent for a minute. Did they really push the image of Rose on him that much? No wonder he was mad. Still, Amethyst wasn't sure. She wasn't ready to lose him a second time.  
"Please! I beg of you! As your brother, trust me!"  
That did it. The brother/sister thing worked to ways. If she was going to be a part of Steven's family, she had to believe in him.  
Amethyst, wasting no more time, jump right at the monster's mouth as it opened it, and with all her strength, she pried the beak open. "Okay, work your magic, Steven!"

"Alright!" He smiled as he carefully swings himself into the mouth. Once he was in, he worked his way to the eyeball, which wasn't easy. Puddles and puddles of acid were everywhere, and Steven did everything he could to avoid the harmful substance.  
Unfortunately, Amethyst's strength was starting to wane. "Uh, Steven? Not that I don't have total faith in your plan, but can't you, I don't know, MOVE IT AL…."  
SNAP!

After all that acid and pressure, the whip stopping the Monster from moving suddenly broke, allowing the creature to move again, as well as regain its strength in the tail.  
"Whoa! Carnelian said as she lost hold of the tail as in flung her overhead. With all the pressure, it built up from trying to break free, the tail flung forward, hitting itself in the back of its head This sudden show of force knocked Amethyst out of her spot, knocking her right into the sand next to Carnelian. Of course, neither had the time to express how hurt they were as they realized one thing.  
Steven was still inside.

"Steven, noooo!" Amethyst shouted in as Carnelian tried to move her. But it was too late. The Centipeatle was right above them. Ready to take its final strike. Both of the Quartz sister's embrace each other as they prepared to be poofed.  
But it never came.

Suddenly the Centipeatle began to glow a pure white, and as it shimmered, and as it did, the image shrunk.  
"Its, its healing. The corruption is actually healing itself. Rhodonite's plan must've worked." Carnelian excitedly exclaimed.  
"B-but, where's Steven?" Amethyst said, fearing the most. But before Carnelian could share the sentiment, something spat out of the glowing blur as it continued to shrink, a small, pinkish thing came out, that also wore blue clothing. The thig got up from the ground, as his torn suit began to tear even more.  
"Told you to trust me." Steven smiled as he walked towards his sisters, who immediately hug him once they get over the shock.  
"Don't you ever do anything that crazy stupid ever again!" Amethyst shouted seriously as she struggled to contain her happiness and pride at Steven.  
"Hey, don't you know? We're made from the same planet. We were made to be crazy and stupid." Carnelian laughed as the other two join her. Thought this happy reunion is interrupted by a small chirp.  
Chirp.  
They gang turns around, and they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Honestly, this chapter was suppose to be shorter, but I just love how all three of them bond and just be happy with each other. Its my 2nd favorite part of this fic, the first being the Steven and Blue Diamond moments.  
"Next time, we go back to homeworld to see how everyone's doing without their favorite gem.


	20. Chapter 20

Quiet. That was the only word to describe Blue Diamond at the moment. Just a few hours ago, she felt a tinge of sadness, a flurry of fury, and a cluster of confusion. She knew what this was, though that's was not what had shocked her. What had was the fact that this had never happened on her end before.

Blue Diamond had a natural empathic ability. She could make anyone feel sad, melancholy, upset, to the point of tears. But when it came to Steven, it was a little different. She didn't even have to use her ability, whenever she was sad, whenever she cried, Steven would somehow feel it. More than that, Steven would even cry her tears, regardless of whether or not he was sad himself. Whenever this would happen, Steven would rush by her side to comfort her. He always was a loyal soldier, and an even better, loving son.  
But this was concerning. The connection only worked one way before. Never had she felt Steven's sadness, especially one so strong and sad. Sadness didn't even describe Steven's character at all! Happy, excitable, passionate, kind, wise, smart, slightly naïve at times, sure, but to see him sad just tore the Diamond up on the inside. What in the universe could cause her strong, stable minded Quartz to feel such strong feelings of sadness.

She was processing all of this just as her Aquamarine was giving her a status update on the latest colony.  
"… And in a rather shocking twist, the Hydro-Power project is a booming success. Rhodonite's idea to use the planet's water for extra energy input was spot on. I humbly admit I was wrong to assume otherwise. Not only are the Lazuli's able to process power for future endeavors, the sudden flow of the water has somehow enriched the soil. We'll be able to make all kinds of gems on that planet for decades to come! Isn't it marvelous, my Diamond?" the little fairy like gem asked. Of course, she is met with no response as her leader is still lost in thought.  
"Uh, My Diamond, not that I don't want to waste your valuable thinking time, but I do believe that we need to get on with the plans for your future colony." Aquamarine said, in a rather nervous tone. Blue Diamond may have been merciful as of late, but she did not want to risk being shattered otherwise.

The Blue Matriarch just frowned before finally acknowledging her blue subordinate. "My apologies, I meant not to ignore your report. I'm just lost in thought. A few, recent developments have transpired, and I worry about the outcome." She solemnly said.  
"Do you wish to talk about it, My Diamond? I'm sure whatever it is, I can accomplish it." Aquamarine eager suggested.  
"No, his is something that I must figure out on my own. You are dismissed for now." She excused.'  
"Yes, thank you, My Diamond." The little fairy complied. But as she flew out of her Diamonds presence, she was still bothered by the fact that she couldn't help whatever it was that trouble her beloved leader.  
"I don't get it." She talked to herself. "Did I come on a little too strongly? Did I seem desperate?" A thought came to her as she gasped. "What if in messed up my speech!? What if she knows about some flaw that I overlooked?! GASP! What if I didn't greet her properly when I came in!? OOOOh, how could I be so stupid?! I'm a DEFECTIVE!. OOOOOH, I'M GOING TO BE SHATTERED FOR SURE!" She feared as she screeched within the halls of the room she was in.

"Don't crack your gem over it, it's not you she's upset about." A rather relaxed and chilled voice said. Aquamarine turned around to face her interrupter, and was met with a rather weak looking gem, with almost as much mass as a pearl. She was orange, with brownish stripes all over her body. Her hair was white, and short, and just like herself, wore a Blue Court uniform. Right next to her was a ruby from Yellow's side of the authority, as seen by the yellow triangle on her uniform. Her gem was right on her naval. (Nicked named Navey by Rhodonite"  
.  
"Oh, it's you." She said with slight disdain. Ever since Rhodonite rose in power in Blue's court, he made sure all the Quartz made by Pink Diamond had more of say in the day to day functions. Like most of the elite at first, it was an absolute shock when this was allowed by Blue Diamond herself. She was one of the many who believed that this would all end in a brutal shattering, but like all of the skeptics, they were proven wrong. The Quartzes actually had a lot of good ideas. As strange as they often were, they were pretty effective and beneficial. They would often smash various rocks to test out the strength and sturdiness of a planet, which was a really good way for testing out the life and usefulness of a planet. One even had the idea to start a kindergarten on a volcanic planet, something that rather pleased White Diamond. And of course, Aquamarine would never forget about Rhodonite's plan for the Hydro Generator, as silly as it sounded, it may have been the most useful idea to date. She often sat near Rhodonite during court sessions, mostly due to how close he always was to Blue Diamond. She once thought he was just a waste of a rock that somehow bumbled his way into the Diamond's metaphorical heart, but after getting to know him and seeing him in action, she grew to respect him, even call him a "friend", as he put it. Still though, it irked her a little that these near off colored Gems were at almost at the same level of power as her. Especially the Jasper all the Quartzes dubbed "skinny", aka, the 2nd in command of Pink Diamond's zoo.

"It's not you she's upset about. She's thinking about Rhodonite." Skinny continued  
"What?! I get being the Diamond's favorite means she often thinks about him, but why worry? He's a tough Quartz, nothing's going to stop him."  
"Weeeeelllll, it is only rumor now, but there's a slight chance that Rhodonite's ship crashed or something when it got to earth. Blue Diamond is just worried that he won't be back to homeworld for a while." The meek red gem said quietly, though loud enough for her voice to be heard.

"Oh, like a little ship crash is going to take that Gem down. Did you see how successful his Hydro generator was! And that was only one out of many projects that show off his intellect. He can think his way out of anything!" Aquamarine bragged.  
"Yeah, I know all about that. I just wish him the best. He's the reason why I'm in charge of the zoo at the moment, as well as Holly Blue's demotion." She chuckles at the former Zoo head's expense, never forgetting the face she bore every time she cleaned up Zoo waste.  
"Yeah, who knew an Agate such as Holly Blue could be so ineffective in such a simple job." Aquamarine joined in on the snickering.  
"I also hope Rhodonite's doing well. My squad has been more useful in our jobs ever since he spoke up to Yellow Diamond that one time." A sudden shudder goes down her back as the memory plays in her head.

"I know, yikes! Have you ever seen a Diamond with that kind of face? Or so angry? I thought for sure he was going to be shattered on the spot." Skinny said, as she and Aquamarine shudder too. Oh, never before had a Diamond yelled so loudly. The very echo of it was as legendary as Rhodonite's feat.  
"Well, let's all be glad for him and for what he did. Thanks to him, your colonies are thriving like never before, our court has started being more lenient with everyone, and there hasn't been a single shatter in over 8 years in any faction of the authority." Navy exclaimed as the trio began to walk back to their respective stations. "It's a shame though that he's the only one of his kind, no one to really share with, to fuse with." She began to blush at that thought.  
"HA, like he needs to fuse with anybody! Don't you remember how he took down Jasper? He's not a Topaz, you know. Besides, he's beloved by everyone in his court, I think he has enough people to share with." Aquamarine dismissed before flying off.  
"But I'd like to …." She stops before blushing again, too embarrassed to finish that sentence.  
"So, exactly why are you here again?" Skinny asked, getting back to their original conversation.

"OOOhhh! Ahh, well, actually this relates to the Rhodonite thing. Again, only rumor for now, but if Rhodonite does indeed have no way off planet, Blue Diamond arranged for someone to form a rescue mission to pick him and his crew up. Since Rhodonite was the one who saw our potentials, both Diamonds saw it fitting that my squad would be the ones who bring him back." She blushes again as she tries not to get lost in thought. "I just hope he doesn't mine being rescued by me."

"Uh, okay, I'm going back to my post. I'll be back when you stop, thinking, whatever it is your thinking." Skinny said, as she slowly walked back, trying hard not to concentrate on how weird the conversation had just gotten.  
Navey realizes her mistake in wording, of course, too late, as Skinny already left her sight. "I'm meant us! Yeah, I totatlly meant my crew. Yeah just all of us, with the strong, brave, cute Rhodon…., Dang it!" She said very frustrated and flustered as she awkwardly walks back to her station.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It was pretty fun to write. I actually didn't really think about the other Gems roles until someone pointed it out in the reviews. I hope this answer's how much homeworld has change, both in people, and in order. The Navey and Aquamarine parts were my favorite. Navey was my favorite ruby(next to leggy)( too bad her redemption didn't work out.) And while Aquamarine kind of reminded me of a 2ndHolly Blue, I had to at least make one complete Major Character change to someone on Homeworld, and Aquamarine was the clear choice for me.


	21. Chapter 21

"So, we're just going to leave her like that, or what?" Asked a confused Amethyst. The Quartz siblings stared in awe as they saw the monster that they just faced rise from its defeat, although it took a while for it to get up. Steven's attempt to heal it from its corruption worked, in a way. It looked different than before. Its body shrunk, being about five feet tall. Its gem was no longer in its mouth, but in its head, making it look like a cyclops with a beak. She had various shades of green and black over her body, thou it looks like her outfit went through a shredder of some kind. She still retained her pure white hair, and she was down to two arms and two legs. She struggled to get up from her spot and balance herself on her two legs. She looked around confused, having no idea what had just happened.  
"Can you tell what kind of Gem she is?" Amethyst spoke up again.

"No, I can't. Without her proper form, it's nearly impossible to tell which Gem she is. She could be an emerald, Jade, or Aventurine for all I know." Carnelian answered, equally confused as to what she was looking at.  
"Hey, let's focus on what we do know." Steven interrupted, not wanting anymore doubt to cloud anyone's mind. He walked over to the confused Gem's location and began to inspect her, much to the former monster's added confusion. "Let's see here, tall, standard exploration uniform, so must've been some sort of scout. She has some sort of adorative mark on her uniform, so she must've been some sort of captain of her own crew." Steven pointed out to explain to the less observant Gems. As he did, the semi-healed Gem was looking over the little hybrid, doing some sort of inspection of her own. She took a deep look at the blue symbol on his uniform, before pulling him in for a surprise hug. "Hm, and from the looks of it, she was a kind and protective captain. There, there, it's okay, nobody's going to hurt you." He cooed as he strokes the hair of the semi cured Gem, who only began to squeeze.

"Whoa, I'd never seen anything like this on missions before, not even with Rose." Amethyst said with surprise.  
"Really, because this is kind of the norm for me. I can't tell you how many times Rhodonite has tamed wild creatures on missions before. He's brought home so many that Blue Diamond had allowed him to expand upon the Zoo." Carnelian expanded a little more.  
"Well, Rose always did try to heal them, but she's never could get as far as a few cosmetic changes. This is the most effective attempt I've seen. And not just her appearance, she's not all drool and mindless rampage, she's actually showing affection back. How's he able to do that when Rose never could?" Amethyst questioned further, thought this brought a light chuckle to Carnelian.  
"You Gem's really are all about fight and contain, aren't you?" Carnelians stated, which caused Amethyst to glare at her. Carnelian held up her hands in defense. "Hey, I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just speculating. It's just like what Rhodonite said earlier. He couldn't help her if he caused her to fear him. Rhodonite sought the chance for the centipeatle to change, and it worked, because he gave her the benefit of the doubt."

That gave Amethyst a lot to think about. She thought about the missions that the team always went on, before and after Rose. They fought corrupted Gems and stored them so they wouldn't harm anyone or hurt themselves. But what after that? After Rose left, heck, after Steven left, never once did they ask themselves what after? What if tomorrow they had all the corrupted stored in the temple? What would they do then? Would they even try to help them? What about the rest of the world? Would they be just done with earth after the cleaned up Homeworld's mess? That's when it hit Amethyst, they were blindly running into places. They always followed the word, the very will of Rose. They never questioned her, never argued. They never once seriously asked what they would do after, especially after Rose left them. And, were they wrong all along about homeworld? Did they back the wrong side? Garnet and Pearl and even Rose had told them about the harshness of Hoemworld. How they placed everyone in the roles they thought best suited them, regardless whether or not they liked it. How they were cruel, uncaring, and willing to destroy anything that they thought was wrong or against them. But Steven told them that that's not how they were, and who was she to deny the word of her caring and loving brother?

Before she could go further and possibly develop an existential crisis. Steven called them as he was walking towards the house. "Hey guys, we're heading inside, let's go." He ordered as he lead Centi by hand into the house.  
"You know, I don't I'll ever get use to him ordering me around." Amethyst stated as she walked right beside her sister Quartz.  
"It's still weird for me to, probably always will be, but I always remember one thing."  
"What?"  
"To believe in Steven." She simply stated. And it was enough to satisfy Ameythyst.  
In the house…..

Alright, you just go ahead and write down what's on your mind and I'll see if I can do anything, alright." Steven stated as the former acid spitter began to write stuff down. He figured since she couldn't talk to him directly, maybe she could communicate through writing.  
Right about then, Amethyst and Carnelian were approaching, each a little confused on what Steven was doing.  
"Uh, whatcha doing there, little bro? Making a card for your tall, blue girlfriend?" Amethyst teased.  
"What are you talking about? Why would i…" Steven trails off, blushing at Amethyst's indication. "Wait you mean Lapis?! Nononononononononono! She is not, I mean, we. We're not, I mean, she doesn't, we just met. How could such feelings even occur in a short amount of time?" Steven rambled on, flustered and barely able to make out a sentence.

"I don't know, Rhodey. I mean, she kind of was all over you when you came back with her. She was practically clinging to you like glue. Plus, from what you said about her, you were the first one to talk to her in years, and you did free her." Carnelian summarized. "Plus, she refered to you as my Quartz. Why would she do that? Only Blue Diamond calls you that, and she's your mother." Carnelian then snickered. "And you do you realize exactly how many Gems on homeworld like you like that? You're a bit of a chick magnet."  
"What?! No way!" Steven tried to laugh it. "Sh-e, she's, she was just showing her appreciation for saving her. It's not like the hugs she gave me or the kiss on the cheek was anything relating…..

"AWWWW" Amethyst said as she gave him a hug. "My little brother is already grown up. He already has his first crush!"  
All this did was add up to Steven's embarrassment. Steven never thought about Gems like that before, mostly because something like that had never really occurred to Steven. One of the older female humans once tried to bring him in the "Mating circle" so that he could be "choosed" with someone. Blue Diamond found out and it took all of Steven's powers of persuasion to convince her not to not eject the girl into space. Carnelian often teased him on how over half the Quartzes blushed whenever he helped or supported them. Steven never saw any signs, though now that he thought of it, Aquamarine often got a little too close for comfort during long court sessions, and those Yellow Diamond Rubies would surround him whenever he was pared with them. The more Steven thought about this, the redder his face became. This was a little too much to take in at once.

Squawk.  
"Finally, something to distra…, I mean, Centi's done with her message."  
"Heh, saved by the bell." Carnelian laughed as she saw Steven take the chance to weasel out of his discomfort.  
"Wait, what was she doing again?" Amethyst asked.  
"Oh, well, since her form hasn't fully been cleansed, I decided the best thing to do was communicate through writing. That way we'll be able to know what she's thinking.  
Steven began to look at the writing on the various papers, the more he intriqued he became. "What? But, you, you weren't a rebel. Why would they leave…..?  
"Uh, Steven, what are you reading? It's just a bunch of lines and scribbles?"  
"Actually, it's the language Gem's use to use. It's considered outdated now, but Blue Diamond thought it best to learn to "expand my mind." I guess now it's finally paid off.  
"Can you tell us what she wrote?" A curious Carnelian asked as she leans in.  
"Sure." He says as he clears his throat

Thank you, mighty Quartz. I will try my best to tell my tale, though I can only hope that my fractured mind is strong enough to write it.  
I don't remember much about who I use to be, or who I used to serve. It hurts to remember the past, like something is constantly shutting down that part of my brain.  
What I do recall is that I was a captain of my crew. There were tons of us, but my crew specifically was sent to earth. Our job was to scout for suitable spots for spires and kindergartens and so much more. But as the war began, our Job's became much, much deadlier.  
We were now scouts on reconnaissance missions. Our goal was to spy from afar the rebel's base. We were to find report back any knew missions, any new weapons, and any weaknesses our enemies had.  
But I'm ashamed to say that each the mission was all for naught. During the final days of the war, word had gone around that the leader of the rebellion had managed to gain the upper hand, by shattering one of the diamonds. I was in the midst of the battle field, lost within all the confusion of the chaos. A sizable number of Gems on Homeworld's side decided to have one final attack on the rebels, hoping to avenge the fallen diamond. But I knew it was hopeless. This was a losing war on both sides. No matter who won, nobody was going to win. My crew was on the ship, waiting for my return so we could move off the planet. I was on my way back, when it happened.  
A sound, no, a song filled the air. It was a beautiful song, but at the same time, it filled me with dread and terror. Not one Gem could move after hearing it. For a moment, everything was still, nobody expecting what came next. A flash of light. A light of white, blue, and yellow. It first hit the second wave of rebels, making them drop to their knees. One by one, each of the gems became deformed, monstrous, corrupted.  
At first, we felt as if this was our victory over the rebels, but, the light did not stop there. It soon became clear that the light was not going to stop with the rebels. The light was going to hit us as well! We ran, panicked and full of fear. I just so happened to be ahead of the light. My plan was to hop aboard on of the leaving ships and contact my crew from there. But before I could, something caught my eye. It was my crew. They must've thought that I was behind, because my ship was flying straight into the light.  
I ran after them. With all of my being and by the will of my Diamond I ran after them. I yelled out in sorrow and agony for them to stop and look down. I yelled to the heavens for them to turn around, but my words could not reach them.  
They went into the light. And as soon as it hit them. They crashed. They crashed and I don't know if they survived with their gems intact.  
I cried. I got to my knees and I cried. I didn't care if it was improper, I didn't care if all the ships were leaving and never returning. I didn't care if the light was going to hit me.  
All I cared about, was my crew.  
Please, help me. Help me find them. They must still be in the ship. Please, I beg of you, HELP ME FIND THEM.

Steven had finally finished his letter, and he was at a lost for words. He was crying, Amethyst was crying, Carnelian was crying, and Centi was especially crying, not being able to handle the weight of her own words.  
Finally, after about 5 minutes of uninterrupted silence, something was happening to Centi. She grabbed h her own head as she began to randomly spin around, bumping into everything she could before triping over three round and shiny objects. She lets out screeches of pain as she falls to the ground.

"What's happening to her! Why is she freaking out?" shouted a confused Amethyst.  
"It's the corruption process, it must be taking hold of her again! We need to take her to her ship. At the very least it should calm her down!" Steven explained. Not wasting anytime, Steven grabs ahold of Centi and kissed her in the eye, hoping it would provide her with some clarity.  
"Centi, please, you must remember your crew, you friends! Remember how much you cared for you! How much they loved you to go straight into oblivion, and how much you loved them to follow them. Please, for the sake of your family, REMEMBER.  
Centi's eye widens as she shoves Steven out of the way and moves onto the warp pad. The two sisterly Quartzes help him up as the R3ed tries to give the former monster a piece of her mind.

"Hey, if your angry, take it outside, don't take it out on those that are trying to help…. You?" She slows down her anger when she sees the gem trying to operate the warp. She is unable to, as her head begins to shift back to its more monstrous form.  
"Come on! We have to help her! Get on the pad, now!" he ordered. The other two offer no disagreement as they do as he says. Once Steven gets on the pad, he makes an announcement to his two sisters.  
"On my mark, we're going to warp, and when we do, think about Centi, think about where she wants to go, think about finding that ship, got it!?" He commanded. The two only nod in response as they warp out of the house.  
But if they had stayed, they would have noticed that the three round objects that Centi tripped over were the bubbles that contained the two, or rather, three gems that had attacked them. And if they had stayed a little more, they would have noticed those three gems rise in the air, and glow.

"Come on, come On! We're almost there. Please keep it together, please." Steven said worriedly as he tried he best to support his new friend. They had managed to find the place centi was thinking of, but not before Centi began to change more. Her body began to grow longer as she began to sprout dozens of long and pointy legs. She begun to move and move faster as she realized that she was so close. So fast, that her friends were having a hard time holding on to her.

"Hey, I know you're in a hurry, but we can't help you if you keep leaving us on the dust." Amethyst said, very irritated as she gets left behind.  
"We're here." Carnelian stated as all four of them approach the damaged ship. It was on its side and covered in moss, so it clearly wasn't going to fly soon. Despite its broken nature, Centi still tried to get in, banging on the door before trying the scanner, they that was in vain as her hand turns into a spikey leg, completing her monsterization.  
"Steven, what do we do?" Amethyst said, worried about what might happen if the cenitpeetle went crazy again.  
"Maybe I can.." he trails off as he places his hand on the hand scanner. Its stays stuck for a moment, giving Steven a little difficulty removing it. Once he does, however, the door began to open. Too excited to wait, Centi crawled through the little crack before it was fully opened.  
The quartz trio make their way towards the ship, not sure what to expect. But when they look up on the ceiling, they see Centi, with other centipeetles. Each one of them, snuggling with each other affectionately.  
"Whoa, now that's something you don't see every day. Four corrupted Gems, hugging like one big family." Amethyst stared in awe.  
"That's the point I've been trying to make all along, silly. It doesn't matter if your human or gem. Everyone is capable of love. And if that love is strong enough, then they are capable of having a family, just like them, and just like us." Steven said.  
This puts tears in her eyes as she once again pulls the little hybrid in for another hug, this time, Steven being a little more recuperating.  
"I'm so glad that you get to be a part of my family, Amethyst." Steven said.  
"Me too Steven, me too." She responds.  
After they let go, they continue to stare at the Centipeetles. Centi herself comes up and snuggles with Steven, who just laughs as her pets her.  
"Don't worry you with your family now. You have nothing to fear anymore, I can assure you that much. And I promise you" he says this part with shear determination. "I will find way to heal you and your family, I will."

Well, that was longer than I expected. I was going to stop at 2,000, but I got so excited that I'd decided to expand upon it.  
Next time, the trio go back home, hoping to rest, only to meet more trouble.


	22. Chapter 22

So sorry that this chapter wasn't out yesterday, but when I went to post it in the doc manager, I accidently deleted the chapter instead (stupid mouse). Anyways, I had to write this 2000-word chapter again, so I hope chapter 22 2.0 didn't come out halfhearted and lazily written.  
Anyways, for those wondering about Connie's role in this fic, I've been getting reviews saying how she doesn't really go along with this universe's version of Steven, and I have to agree with them. When I introduced her in Chapter 17, it was really meant to show how well Steven responds to Humanity. As shown, he doesn't take crap from people clearly trying to be rude and disrespectful, and is more open to physical force if needed/feels the need. It also shows that he has no clue on how to respond to any sort of feelings of love when it's not coming from family. Being on Homeworld, he's a little clueless on that, which is why he called Connie cute, he just didn't know how to respond to her. PLUS in the first episode Connie appeared, it was pretty clear and obvious that Steven found her cute, so obviously he would here.   
As for Connie's role in the future, she will have a small role when Steven inevitably decides earth's future. She'll be their to help Steven connect and find his place on earth. As for any romantic interest between them, maybe some on her side, but they wont be together. Sorry for any fans of that ship, especially since its canon, but that's honestly been a little over played in a lot of fics where Steven lives on homeworld, and I'm going to try something a little different. That decision is final, sorry once again for any fans of it.  
I own nothing.

 

"So, what are we going to do with them? We can't exactly just take 'em back to the temple." Asked a confused Amethyst. The trio of Quartzes were finally walking out of the ship and back towards the warp pad after about an hour of watching the Centipeetle Family reunion. It probably would've only taken a half hour, but the two rebellious Quartz sisters decided to join in on the fun by shapeshifting into centipeetle forms and join everyone else on the ceiling. Steven ordered them to stop and get down, but either they didn't hear him over all the fun they were having, or they couldn't take him seriously over the sight of the Centipeetle mother constantly snuggling up to him in gratitude. As great as it was, Steven was starting to get tired. That Centipeetle was too loving for her on good.

Steven yawned as they made their way towards the pad. It was almost past sunset, and after the day he had, he could probably sleep for a week. "Don't worry about them. As long as they have each other, they have no other reason to go anywhere else. They can live in their ship." He smiles as he lets out another yawn. "Their ship is their bubble now, a bubble with one happy family. And someday, I'll be able to expand that bubble to the rest of the world, once I've heal them, of course.  
Amethyst stopped for a second. "Wait, you still going to try and heal them. Steven, I know you've made huge progress on your healing powers, but, do you really think that you can fix them fully? Both mind and Gem intact?" She questioned.  
"Of course!" He said full of confidence. "And it's not just going to be Centi and her crew. I want to heal all the corrupted Gems on this planet! There are so many that fell to it, so many that didn't even deserve it. All I need is a to master my healing powers, probably get a few resources from Homeworld, and have a little patience, and BAAAM! Instant reverse corruption."

"Whoa, wait, Rhodonite, do you really think Homeworld is going to help you on this?" Carnelian uneasily said.  
"Yeah, I mean, why wouldn't they? You said it yourself that Blue Diamond always listens to my ideas. And plus, I have a great reputation with all of Homeworld, I'm sure I can sway them into backing this up. Think about it, they would be gaining back thousands and thousands of gems, Gems that we can't even make any more. That's an opportunity that they can't pass up!" Steven excitedly shouted.

"Well, yeah, I guess you have I point there. It would be a great way to gain back lost gems. But you do realize that to pull off a plan as crazy big as that, you need a unanimous agreement from all of the Diamonds. Sure, Blue Diamond would go along, she's your mother, she always will support you. But Yellow Diamond might not go for it. You know how it's not exactly a secret through Homeworld that she hates the Earth as a whole. She, like the rest of her court, blames the planet itself for destroying Pink Diamond, which is why she put a giant geo weapon inside, you know, our entire mission here. Besides, she probably would consider any of the corrupted Gems to be "tainted" by the Earth. And that's not even mentioning White Diamond, you know, the main voice and head of the authority of the Diamonds?" Carnelian stressed out, trying to get him to realize the more serious implications of this endeavor.

"Carnelian, I know that this plan may not be well thought out or really one of my better ideas, but it's a plan I'm willing to follow through with." Steven said filled with determination. "When the Diamonds started the Corruption, they did it so they could stop the rebels, but their own armies were in the way. I know for a fact that Blue Diamond didn't have a say in it, and I know she would've never gone through with it if it knew how many of her own were affected by it. I need to do this, not just for me, or for my Mother, but for all those who were affected, Rebel or not. No one deserves this fate, an I'm going to make sure they all get to be free from it."  
"But how do you know that it'll work? How do you know that you'll be able to reverse this?" Amethyst Questioned.  
"Simple, because I believe it will work. Anything's possible when you believe in it." Steven simply affirmed as he got on the warp pad, motioning his sisters to move along.

The two Quartzes just look at each other uneasily before getting on. They both shared the same doubt. Sure, they knew that Steven somehow always found a way, but this time, he may have reached his limit. It's one thing to speak out and convince one Diamond at a time, but to take on all three at once? Never heard of. And they both had the same lingering fear. They both knew that the Diamonds would question why he would want to save them, rebel or not. What if they decided to inspect him? What if they decided to look a little too closely? What if they found out about his gem? What if they knew he was made out of the very gem that shattered Pink Diamond, the one White, Yellow, and Pink wanted erased from existence? Would his power and reputation matter? Would everything he has done even matter?  
Would the love of his mother, be enough to save him?

Just a few minutes before, in the house at the beach, tensions were raising. The three formerly bubbled Gems were now free, but they were anything but calm. The first Gem happened to be a short, red soldier with a square head. She was walking around in circles, ranting angrily on and on. The second Gem was an equally short, blue Gem with an eloquent dress. She was silent, quietly musing over everything that had happened today. And the third Gem was a tall, white Gem that was pacing back and forth, squawking all of her worries out loud.  
"Oh why, oh way, oh why did we do that? Why did we have to be so brash at him? He's still a kid, of course he's going to react like that, oh why, oh why…" she kept on repeating.

"How, HOW, HOW DARE THAT BLUE TYRANT CALL OUR BABY HERS! SHE TOOK OUR BABY AWAY FROM US, JUST SO SHE COULD FEEL LOVE? SHE HATES LOVE! AND NOW SHE'S GOING ON ABOUT STEVEN BEING HER SON, HER FAMILY!? SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT FAMILY IS UNTIL SHE GOT HER GRBBY HANDS ON HIM! WHY I OUT…" Outraged ruby as she made her thoughts a little more vocal than Pearls.  
Finally, after they were done freaking out, Sapphire spoke up. "Ruby, you must calm yourself. Your acting rashly again. It's that same anger and rashness that drove Steven this far." She said calmly.

"What!? I'm being rash!? You're not being rash enough! How can you be so calm after what Blue Diamond did to Steven? He's brainwashed, or, or something, and we need to do something about it!" Ruby rationalizes.  
" No. Carnelian was right. I was so blinded by my anger at Blue Diamond that I hindered my own abilities." Sapphire said with shame.  
"Wait, I know that you future vison isn't always accurate, but surely you can't be saying.." Pearl started, having a bad feeling about this.  
"Yes. I never saw Steven get kidnapped, I never saw Steven meet Blue Diamond, and I never saw Steven ever making a difference on homeworld because I never thought it possible. It's exactly like how I first met Rose. I had accepted the fact that she would succeed in her attack, that I never bothered to look at all possibilities." Ruby turns her head away a little, now realizing what she had done.  
"My own bias, my own hatred against her clouded my mind. Losing Steven, is, is, is" she begins to cry a she struggles to say those words. "IS ALLMY FAULT!" She cries out as she begins to sink to the floor. Ruby is there to comfort her, hogging her from behind.  
"So it's true then, huh? Steven has changed homeworld for the better, right?" Ruby softly askes.  
"Yes" Sapphire answers with equal volume. "Steven has changed Homeworld. I can see times were Blue Diamond comforted him. Times when he was there to feel and relieve her of all her sadness, all her tears. It's not perfect, but it's a huge step in the right direction."  
"He's done more than Rose ever did." Pearl solemnly states. "He's done more than we could ever could. He's done what we could only dream of doing in eight years, while we've hardly ever made a difference in the last 5,000 years." Pearl begins to wipe the tears from her eye's. "We're the bad guys here, aren't we?

"Yes." Was all Sapphire could say as she continued to cry. Ruby was still there to hold her, to help share the pain. Before long, the two Gems began to glow as they become one once more, though thins did not ease the crying or the pain they felt inside.  
At least together, the pain was easier to bear.  
Within the midst of all this sadness, the three now turned two gems almost forgot about a certain Quartz.  
"Where's Amethyst?" The tall white Gems says.  
As if by cue, said gem came out in the shimmering light of the warp pad, along with the two blue court members. Each of them didn't say a thing, seeing as how awkward everyone felt at the moment. Steven hadn't even intended to free them until maybe the next afternoon, when he was prepared to talk to them again. But now at the moment, he was feeling very uncomfortable with the two eldest Gems staring at him. It was only when Amethyst spoke up that the silence was broken.  
"Heh, so you guys are free, cool." She said very casually, hoping that the awkwardness would go away.  
It doesn't work.

"Whaaa, Amethyst where were you, and why are you with them? Don't they hate us?" Pearl asked,very confused on what just happened.  
"Oh, that, yeah we totally made up and bonded. I was just out getting to know my siblings a little more." She says coolly as she hugs them by her sides . But, then she got reall excited and started to brag. "Carnelian is awesome! She's like a red version of me, but cooler! And Steven, oh man I don't even know where to start! He's an awesome leader! He lead the charge against the Centipeetle creature that been around, but not only did he beat it, he healed it and, and, and…." Amethyst began to repeat herself, getting a little too excited over her pride in Steven.  
The eyes of the two eldest Gems widen. They weren't quite sure if they heard her correctly, but if they did, then Steven was far more grown up than he seemed.

"It's not a big deal, Amethyst, I just helped her find her crew, just like any decent person would." He said as he tries to move along. He really didn't want to explain anymore to anyone, mostly because the two Older Gems were constantly looking at him. Finally Garnet crouched down and spoke to Steven.

"Steven, I, I know that I've hurt you, and the last thing I've ever wanted for you wa…" she started, before being interrupted by him.

"Look Garnet, I'm just going to stop you there. Everyone feels pain. I feel it a lot, both physically and emotionally. It hurts, a lot actually, but I can deal with it. I can push through it. I was never made at you for hurting me." He said, which allows the two eldest Gems to mentally sigh in relief, thought that doesn't last long as he continues to frown. "But what I can't forget is you hurting others I care about. You've attacked my sister without letting herself explain, you attacked Lapis from behind when she was calming down, and worst of all. You insult and ridicule my mother." Tears form as he voice gets angrier and sadder. "Do you know how that's hurt's me?! To know that the people who taught me all about family, ridicule the first person that I've ever saw as my mother!? You dare question and deny she could change, that she could ever see me as a son?! That she's actually more good of a gem than any of you?!"  
"Steven, we, we, we, were.." Pearl doesn't even finish as she chokes on her own words. Both of them were having trouble processing this. Steven put them on the spot twice before today, but those paled in the shear emotional pain just seeping into the air.  
"You guys are so blind, so angry, so clouded by hate that you guys always jump the gun without thinking of others, without thinking about the ones you hurt! Have you ever once thought that the diamonds felt pain and anguish after Rose shattered Pink? Blue Diamond felt it most of all. She mourned for 5,000 years before I came along, and you dare try to hurt her after all she's been through.?! I can forgive you guys for hurting me. Heck, I can forgive Rose for not being here, for not being my mother. But you hurting my Diamond, talking about her like that, believing that she somehow corrupted me, that's something I can never forgive." He simply turns around and walks towards his bed, not saying another word.  
The Gems were speechless. After everything they had witnessed today, this was the most shocking and unbelievable.  
Steven denied them forgiveness.

So, a lot of drama there. Things aren't so Peachey, and that was only the first day. Don't worry, Steven, in time, will come to forgive them, though not for a while.  
Next time, Steven tries to sleep, and encounters someone, or rather, communicates with something deep


	23. Chapter 23

Hey everyone, let me just say that the last chapter may have been the most popular, and also the most controversial of the story so far, which to me, I take as a success. It just shows how invested all the readers are in the characters.  
I know that Steven's argument is one sided, and a little biased, but that was kind of the point of it. While Steven Did change Homeworld, he too has also changed. Being raised so close to Blue Diamond, and being surrounded by those who love her unconditionally, he has trouble accepting those who have a bad view of her. He acknowledges the bad history the Diamonds have, but he chooses to ignore it, believing they are way past that. Really, he's been exposed to one side for so long that he's forgotten exactly how the other side felt, so its meant to be unfair. Don't worry though, over the course of the next few chapters, Steven will see just how Bad Homeworld was, and how even though its changed with his prescence, he'll be forced to acknowledge not all actually like the change (hint: she may have shattered Pink Diamond). And after that, he'll be put in a spot where he'll see just how bad everything is and was for the crystal Gems, and he will forgive them.

Sorry that this chapter was not out sooner, but over the weekend, I messaged MiniJen, the author of the popular crossover fic, Universe Falls, to see if could write an Au about it, AND SHE APPROVED! I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ABLE TO WRITE IT, I LOVE IT SO MUCH. So I spent Sunday and Monday writing the first chapter for Reverse Diamond Falls. It's on my profile, please check it out. I don't mean to self-promote, but I really want that story to go well.   
I own nothing.

 

Darkness. That's all Steven could see around him. Pure, pitch black darkness.  
This was nothing new to Steven, although it was a little weird for him to see this in his dreams. Steven was never to go one night sleep without dreaming about something. Often, he would dream about the day Blue Diamond found him and took him back to space, but then it would twist from their by having the ship crash on some unknown planet where they met cookie cat. They would then raise him as mother and father as the spent the rest of their lives growing and selling giant watermelons that were shaped like himself for some strange reason.

Then there was the one about the creature that separated him from the gems in the first place. He may have a vivid image of that day, but he would always remember the multiple hands it had. It didn't even have a head or a face, just a lot of hands. Sometimes he could just feel the things crawling on him, touching him with its cold, unfeeling fingers.

Then there was the dream where his life was some sort of sitcom that was filmed in the 70s or 80s. Steven would be the plucky, enthusiastic protagonist, with Blue Diamond obviously being the strong willed and wise single mother, Carnelian being the rowdy, smart aleck street smart older sister, Blue Pearl being the smart, often too protective and involved older sister in college. Sometimes in those dreams, one of the rubies would be the potential love interest, other times it would Aquamarine, and occasionally Peridot would be it…  
Okay now that he thought about, the signs were not so subtle and all around him. How did he miss that?

But now, it was empty, blank, nothing was there. Nobody was around, not a single thing was here. And the weirdest thing was that he was awake for it all, he felt awake, but he knew that he was dreaming. Was this Lucid Dreaming? Blue Pearl once explained it to him. Occasionally when something organic such as himself sleeps, their minds remain conscious enough to take control of the environment around him. But nothing was happening. No matter how many times he imagined cookie cat, or his mother, nothing would appear in front of him.  
"Hm, maybe I'm not thinking hard enough? Or maybe I need to get higher? That's right, maybe if get higher," he starts to move up in a swimming position as he makes his way. "then maybe the signal or something will get stronger, and I cannn….."  
"want to" "Need to" "have to" "Want to" A voice comes through.

"What?! Who's there? I don't want to have to fight, because I did that enough when I was awake." Steven stated as he starts to look around to find the source. But nothing was there. He was still alone. He was sure of it. But where…  
"have to, need to, got to, want to" The voices said a little louder this time. They also sounder a whole lot closer, like they were closing up on him.

"WANT TO. NEED TO. HAVE TO. GOT TO." It roared even louder. Steven was starting to get anxious. He felt the sorrow the voices had. He knew deep within himself that whoever they were, they were in trouble, but he just didn't know what.  
"Where are you!? I want to help you?! Please, just calmly reveal yourself and tell me what's wrong. Maybe I could…" He started to offer, hoping that this could end in a peace full resolution.

For a brief moment, the voices stop, making it eerily silent. Steven didn't know what to expect. He had only hoped that whoever this was, would give him the chance to help them.  
Then, in the moment Steven let his guard down, a brilliant flash of light shot out from nowhere. It was so bright that staring into almost felt like looking straight into the sun. Steven was barely able to open his eyes wide enough to see what was happening, and it was not a pretty sight.

Faces. Faces of horror, faces of sheer terror and agony were shown at him. Not only did he see them, he felt the pain they were going through. He felt that same agony, the shear amount of horror that they have seen. Steven cleanched his stomach as he tried not to hurl. He was sweating cold sweat all over. Everything felt numb, everything felt horrible.  
He felt alone.

"WANT TO, NEED TO, HAVE TO, GOT TO!" the voices repeated, with thundering force that came close to deafening the poor boy.  
"PLEASE, HELP ME UNDERSTAND! Please, tell me what you got to do! Tell me what you got to doooo!" Steven shouted within the midst of the pain he was feeling."  
"FORMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" It shouted as it blasted even more light at him. The sheer force of their voice was enough to knock Steven over and send him flying aimlessly into the inky black void.

"Please, someone, please help me, help me, HELP MEEEEE!" He screamed. All he could think about was home, his place on homeworld by Blue Diamond and Blue Pearl. He so desperately wanted to see them. After all the trouble, he went through today and feeling the pain of being alone from whatever it was, he so desperately wanted to see his family again.

Suddenly a bright light glowed, it was like no other light he had ever seen, it was even more shimmering than the one he had seen. His eyes were lost in awe as he slowly entered the bright light.  
"Uhh, where am I?" Steven said as he looked out onto his horizon. From the looks of it, it had a pink crystalline surface with various shards sticking out of it. Nothing else really stuck, other than the various colors that the floor was made up of. It looked pretty actually.  
"Huh, this seems nice." He says as he takes a little touch at the surface. "All this needs to be is paved and it could almost be like the floors in Home…" He trails off as of the smaller spikes scratches him. He withdraws his in pain as he takes a good look at what he was looking at. It was a broken Gem shard.  
"Hey little gut, what are you doing here?" He inspects it a little. It wasn't like any gem he has ever seen. In fact, it looked like some…  
Wait.

He looks a little closer at it.  
No, it couldn't be. I-it, it just couldn't be.  
The gem was half green, half purple. But it wasn't just the color. The shard's it was made up of were two completely different Gems.  
They were a fusion. A forced together fusion.

"No, no, no! Homeworld wouldn't allow this! Its, its horrible. To fuse with a different cut of gem is one thing, but this…." He said in absolute shock. He couldn't believe what he saw. This could be real. This all had to be a nightmare.  
"Want to, need to." The voice said again. Steven lets go of the shard in surprise, and as soon as it does, it forms. A humanoid figure tries to form from it, but then, extra arms form, arms in places that Steven couldn't even imagine. And once it's transformation was complete, he felt like throwing up.

The thing, the fusion abomination, it, it, it was the most horrible thing he had ever seen. This, this, to force to beings together, after their fall, after their death, that, that was horrendous.  
Wait. Multiple hands. Multi-handed… where had he seen that before.  
Wait. It was coming to him. This was something that he had seen before. Something in the back of his mind, something in his dre….  
The creature.

"Your, your, you're it aren't you? The multi hand creature, or at least, one of them, aren't you?"  
"Want to, need to." Was all it said.  
"What? Do you want me? What do you want me to do?" He questioned as he got more anxious. He never, ever wanted to meet a creature like this again, and now he was cornered by one.  
"Want to, need to, need, to, need to, need toooo." It echoed like a skipping record. \  
"What! What do you want!? Steven shouted furiously, he just wanted this to end.  
"Want to, need, u, need to, NEEEEEED YOUUUU!" It then launched itself at Steven. Steven himself was all to terrified to move at all as the creature tackled him.

"Noooo!" He screamed. He pushed with all his might to pry the thing off of him. But it was too much for him. He couldn't handle this by himself.  
And then it got worse. Hands from the crystalline floor popped from the ground, and they all latched on to the same thing, Steven. They pulled on him as he started to sink.  
"Noooooo. Carney, Pearl, Moooom, please help me, please, PLEASE HELP MEEEE!" He screamed as he sinks to what he assumes is his crystal grave.

Meanwhile at homeworld, Blue Diamond was in a frenzy. She had felt a terrible disturbance, and she knew exactly where it came from. The pain rushes into head as she lets starts to move franticly.  
"My diamond, listen, please, you must calm yourself, you must sit and…." Blue Pearl tried to calm her down, though that was all in vain as Blue Diamond screamed as she let out a shockwave of sadness.  
"Steven! No, my son!" She cried before her eyes became blank. And before Blue Pearl could say anything, the giantess fell over.  
She had passed out.

Yeah, I know, its short, but I don't want to rush this too fast.  
Next time, Steven has a little chat with his blue mama.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fellow readers, sorry once again this story hasn't updated lately, its just I'm really getting into my two new fics, Revere Diamond Falls and Believe in the Weird and wild, which I hope to update at least on more time before I leave. Just know that on July 4, I'll be gone for three weeks, and I won't be able to write anymore chapters for any story, sorry.  
> I'm glad that the least chapter was so well received. Steven's mind powers and empathic bond are my favorite Steven powers, so it was fun to write and expand upon.  
> Now before we get in, be warned that the next few chapters are going to deal with Steven finding out what exactly the cluster is, ( he wasn't aware of what it was composed of) and the rather dark nature of the Diamond's. He'll be put on the spot that will make him question homeworld, his adopted mother, as well as the reasoning behind the Crystal Gem rebellion.  
> One more thing, earlier this week, one reader, Wikisorcerer, made a tv tropes page for this story. Please go on tv tropes and enter /fanfic/Gift of a Diamond.  
> I own nothing

"Steven? Steven? Steven?" A smooth, calm voice cried out his name. After those arms dragged him down to who knows where, he ended up it another black abyss. It wasn't painful, but he couldn't help but curl up in a little ball in pain. He felt their desperation, their will, their sadness, their desire, for him apparently. Why would they want him anyway, why would they go through all that just to seek him? And what were they anyway? Where did they come from? And why were so there so many of them, in pain, in anguish, being forced together?  
"Steven. Steven. Steven." The familiar voice got louder. It was soft, almost like a lullaby. Steven could listen to it for hours on end and he would never get tired of hearing it. It was a voice of comfort, a voice of security, of peace.

"My little Quartz, are you alright?" The voice asked again. Steven barely lifted eyes to see who it was. To his surprise, he woke up to see the face of Blue Diamond. She looked scared, concerned, and worried, something one would usually not associate with a Diamond. He yawned and slowly began to walk towards his mother.  
"My Diamond" he greeted repspectfully, getting a small chuckle from Blue Diamond. She had often told Steven he was free to call her mother when they were alone, but Steven nevertheless always greeted her formally.  
"You know Steven, I remember when we first brought you in the court. You had such a hard time transitioning from mother to "my diamond." Blue Diamond remembered fondly.

"Yes, I remember. With my rather short size and constant jumbling of words, the elite such as Holly Blue often thought my Gem was cracked or something." He chuckles at the memory. "Sorry for being so formal, new Habits die harder than the old I guess." He casual states before floating on top of his mother's hand. They just stare at each other, perfectly happ that they were together now. One thing remaind however.  
"So how are you here? I mean, not that I'm not happy to see you, but how is this even possible? Is this happening? Is this even real?"  
"I'm not sure, little Quartz. All I remember was feeling a sudden wave of distress, fear, and a little anger." She pauses before realizing something. "My Steven are you all right?" She shouted a little loudly. "I don't know how, but I could feel it coming from you. I felt how miserable you felt. I sensed you emotions in a frenzy, I, I, I,…" She stammered on before bringing Steven close to her, cradling him like she had when he was younger. "I felt you in pain, in anguish. What happened to you? What caused you to feel such strong emotions?"  
Steven slightly winced at this a little. He knew what he saw, he had a feeling that she would know to. But this was the mission he was sent on. Could he talk about what he witnessed, about how horrified he was when he saw it.

"Mother, what, what exactly is the cluster, exactly?" He asked nervously, barely able to spit it out. Blue Diamond sensed his discomfort, and became nervous, not expecting him to ask.  
"My child, I, ah, …" she danced around it, hoping to at least think about anything else.  
"Please mother, I have been through a lot today, I've dealt with happy reunions, misunderstandings, fights, a corrupted monster, and a door to the face, please, please don't lie to me about this. I, I need to know what it is I'm doing." Steven solemnly asked as his features begin to soften.

The mighty matriarch a first wanted to question exactly what he had just said, but then finally relented, not wanting to make him more upset then he already was. "The, the Cluster, as you were told, is a giant geo weapon buried beneath the crust of the earth. After the war, Yellow Diamond commissioned for a planet sized weapon to use in case of another rebellion or equally dangerous threat." She begins to tear up as her gem lights up, showing off a hologram of some short of spherical object. Steven winces at the sight of the familiar orb, getting a little closer to Blue Diamond in response. She then continues. "But such resources were lost to us, the amount of it all would have cost our kind all too dearly. But Yellow had another plan. Weeks before the end of the war, she had her scientist's work up plans for any other uses for the earth. It still had the potential to make such a weapon, but we didn't have the means to make it properly, or so I thought."  
The image on the hologram transitions to that of a battle field, filled with numerous cracked and shattered gems across the field. Then hundreds, if not thousands of gems were sent out to pick them up, and placed in some kind of fancy looking Gem injector. Steven was confused at this. Why would they be placing broken shards in the earth.

"The earth, oh how rich the soil was. We could do stuff that we could only dream of in it. So once we've gathered enough shards, we would be able to make the cluster, the result being a giant, planet size, forced fusion." She says that last part with some disdain, clearly not comfortable with that.  
Steven's eyes widen in horror. Never would he have thought that would take part in such an devour, especially with the horrific implications of it. "But, but, why, why, why, why.." he repeated like a sounded recorder, completely speechless to what he just hears.  
Blue diamond looks away slightly, knowing how shameful this really was. "Yellow Diamond demanded that it must be made, as did White. They wanted to do away with the planet, as well as show any reaming rebels what they were willing to do to them."  
"But you, you, you of all people should be against this! You're against fusions with different cuts of gems. Why on earth would you agree to forced fusions, made up of fallen gems on both sides!? Nobody, no matter how bad deserves this fate!" Steven loudly proclaimed. Blue Diamond was in shock. Their was a certain sharpness in Steven's voice, and it always managed to cut deep, no matter who he was talking to.  
"I didn't have a say, I couldn't. I chose to protect Pink's legacy by keeping her gems, keeping her zoo. All rights to the fallen colony went straight to Yellow Diamond."

Steven paused for a second. He couldn't fault his mother, yet at the same time, he felt angry at every action that was taken, angry at her own inaction.  
"Tell me, does the rest of Homeworld know about this, do they know about the earth?" Steven asks seriously, realizing that something like this would popped up if the rest of Gem kind were told.  
"No. Only the Diamond's, as well as a select few scientists are aware of the cluster. As far as I know, all of the homeworld citizens are completely unaware of the exact status of the Earth. They've been lead to believe that the Earth has been decimated by the Diamond's last attack." Blue Diamond says with sadness.

"But your attack, it didn't destroy the Earth, it's still there, it's full of life, and its still usable in so many different ways!"  
"My Steven, remember that Yellow and White Diamond did what they thought was necessary for our people, I had no choice!" Blue Diamond cries out, not noticing that this may be the first time she has ever fought with her son.

"But the attack, the corruption, it did more than corrupt the rebels, it spread to the entire planet! It caught up with your own people!" He shouted back. "It corrupted the minds and bodies of hundreds of your own loyal shoulders and loyalists, here!" Steven closes his eyes, summoning forth a giant piece of paper, on it was the message written out by the centipeedle mother. "I happened to encounter one of the victems of the attack, and I was able to cure her long enough to help her. She was in such pain, not just from the attack, but from be separated from her crew, her friends, her family." Steven emphasized as she read the note. More tears came as she saw the implications of her actions.  
"I, I , I didn't know this, I didn't realize that this is what would result from this." She begins to choke up as she begins to sober. "Why did I let them push me into this?! Why didn't I stand up for my fellow Diamond!? WHY WAS I SOO WEAK!?" She loses it as she curls herself up in a ball.  
The sight of this just tugs at the heart strings of the little Quartz. He may be angry, he may hate what the Diamond's had taken apart of, but he could never be mad at his mother, the one who never laid a finger on him, the one that showed him so much kindness for so many years.  
Blue Diamond manages to look up at her little boy. "Steven, my beautiful son, I know you must despise me, I know I did wrong, and I know you may not heed my word, but thank you." Steven tilted his head in confusion.

"For what?"

"Fort telling me what I have done. For showing me just how bad of a Diamond I have been all these years, and for, for being my son." She smiles a little more. "You showed me how to care for my Gems. You've shown me how to be merciful, and how to properly run my court. But most of all, you've shown me what it means to truly love something, to treasure it, and to hold on to it always, my little gift." She cooed as gestured Steven to come closer.  
This had Steven moved to tears. He imagined all kinds of outcomes, but this was one not even a sapphire could predict. Steven rushed to his mother's arms, allowing her to once again cradle him.  
"I'm sorry, my Steven, I, I know I'm not the strongest, but you, here in my arms, you give me strength."  
"No, if anything, I'm sorry. I let my anger get the best of me. If you never met me, then you wouldn't even know better. People need someone in their lives to balance them out." Steven says, suddenly getting a picture of the Crystal Gems in his head. "Without the right kind of person, they could go crazy, irrational," Steven's voice starts to get slower, suddenly wondering about a certain apology he ignored earlier. "they could do things without planning ahead, their actions could be, questionable." A look of shock came to his face, as he realizes his own contradiction, but he shakes it off for now as his mother speaks.

"Well, in any case, that makes me all the more glad that you are my son." They both smile as they continued to embrace each other, just enjoying the moment of peace they had. Soon Steven began to yawn, which brought back memories of his childhood. He would often get fussy when he didn't want to sleep. Luckily, Blue Diamond knew the perfect solution to it.  
Blue Diamond felt elated at the great memories she had with him, and she knw she would forever cherish them.  
As Steven closed his eyes, Blue Diamond began to hum a familiar tune. "Good night, my son." She said before singing.

Little shinning star, I found you  
from afar. Your light fills all space  
with your all loving face.   
Little shinning star, your  
perfect the way you are. Rising from the slope, you give all  
people hope.  
Little shooting star, my one little rising bar. Like a little turtle dove,  
you spread wings full of love.  
Oh my shinning star, I wish not a single scar.  
You my saving grace, gift me with your smiling face.  
May your days be like a pole, always long, strong and full.  
May not one be on par, with my little shining Star.  
Beautiful little love,  
smelling of flowers and of cloves.  
You bring brightness and joy for all those up above.  
Beautiful little love,   
I love who you are.  
Never let be one on par  
with my little Shinning Star.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song, my shining star, is made by me, probably the only thing original in this fic. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
> Next time, Steven investigates the main kindergarten while contemplating his future with the Crystal Gems.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hey everyone, i'm here with my final story update before leaving. So glad everyone is eager to read the new chapter before I go, just shows how much you guys love and appreciate it (blushes). Seriously, this may be my most popular story, and it all thanks to you guys who have supported me, messaged me, made a tv tropes page, even making fan art for the story. Speaking of which, I'm in the search for a cover for the sequel story, and maybe even for my other current stories. If anyone would like to make some, I would gladly appreciate it. Just message me the site address, and I'll check them out once I get back.  
> Now, this is a short chapter, sorry, but I wanted to leave a little build up for things to come, plus I'm a little burned out from updating my other stories all week, and this was the only way for me to Write it properly with it being half hearted and sloppy. Now this is also going to be a start for a pearl arch i'm working in. She was obviously the most effected, besides Greg probably, by Steven's absence, and we all know that Pearl, when in emotional distress, will do some crazy things, and what I have planned for her, might top anything she has done in the show.  
> I own nothing.

Steven felt a bit tipsy waking up. It was pretty weird for him now. Being a human raised solely by Gems, sleep was a very uncommon for him know. Not that he minded, granted he actually felt less tired, sometimes even going weeks without catching some z's. It was normal for him to go to bed, but waking up was something he was still getting used to.

He woke up with a yawn, to the sight of his own room, the very same one that he would've woke up every day in if it wasn't for that faithful encountered. This was really uncanny for him. He had a sense of remembrance, yet everything felt alien to him. The tv, the game console that lied on it, the cheesy posters plastered all over his walls, even the soft bed he slept on was a little out of the norm for him, especially since whenever he slept know, it was always in the soothing hand of his mother.

Speaking of her, he pondered about the events of last night. He thought about her face, her song, all the love she had gave and shown him in just that night alone. She was their when he was in distress, something that he always did. Blue Diamond often said to him that she would never be able to give back the love and comfort that he always gave her, but to Steven, she had already given it back in full, and then some.

But then, a troubling thought came to her while reminiscing about last night. The cluster, what it really was. His mother had seemed to confirm his suspicion he gained during that nightmare attack. It was horrible. The abomination that it was, and the horror it represented. He had no ill will toward his mother, she hated the idea as much as he did. But what about the other's. Did they have no shame? Did they have no grievance in using the dead remains of Gems, rebel or otherwise, for their own personal gain. Was a weapon that worth it to just keep your own subjects in check? Where was the line there? Where was the regret?

Regret.

Regret.

That word stayed with Steven as it echoed through his head. He thought about how much Blue Diamond regretted helping her fellow Diamond's with the corruption wave, how reluctant she was when it came time to decide the fate of earth. How much sorrow she held on, how she was being unfair to herself, and how she actually came to see any, as little as they were, mistakes that she made. And how despite all that, he came to forgive her, and love her just as much as before.

Then a picture of the Crystal Gems popped right into his head. How much did they regret that da he left them? How long did they cry themselves throughout the day and night, blaming themselves for his disappearance, when there was nothing they could do about it? How dysfunctional they must've been since they fateful day eight years ago? How they would've done anything to get him back, do anything to gain some form of closure. Oh, how it must hurt them deeply, to lose one of the greatest people you've ever known.

Just, just , just like his mother.

Steven couldn't help but notice how hypocritical he was being at the moment. He welcomed his mother with opened arms, forgiving her and letting her forgive herself of something that she felt guilty of. But when the Gems came to him earlier, he denied them that. He got in their faces and made them feel even worse about it. He denied them what he freely gave to his own mother.

He overall, was a huge jerk to them.

Steven finally got up, contemplating this new revelation. He walked down the stairs, wondering his next move. There was so much to do, and so little time to accomplish it all. He had to find a way to heal the corrupted, complete his task on earth, find Lapis's place on Homworld once he gets back, investigate the Cluster and ponder what to do with, figure out what to do with his situation with the Gems, and the biggest nugget of all: tell Blue Diamond about his real mother, the rebellious Rose Quartz.

"Yo, Quartzy, sleep alright?" Carnelian asked a little caution, she was right next to an equally worried Amethyst. They both were concerned about his little conclusion about Garnet and Pearl, wondering if he was still holding on to those feelings.

"Yeah, I guess I did, I had a really weird dream though." He said a little nervously before turning to Amethyst. "Hey, ah, you were made here on earth's kindergarten, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I popped out a few hundred years after the war and lived their until Rose found me." She remembers with a little hesitation. "Why do you ask?"

"Uh, well, in my dream, it, it felt like I was getting connected to, to, to something buried beneath the earth. It had, well, multiple arms and hands and legs." He says with a shudder. "I think it may had something to do with why we were separated all those years ago." He says, making sure to leave out specific details. Nobody on homeworld knew about his empathic powers, or his link with Blue diamond. They felt it best to not explain it to anyone, most likely to avoid anyone discovering the true nature of their relationship. Steven wanted to keep quiet about it, and he especially didn't want to explain to Amethyst, or Carnelian for that matter how he had somehow "talked" to a giant planet sized geo weapon that wanted to grab ahold of Steven for reasons unknown. "I, I think if we're going to get answers about what happened that day, we have to visit there."

"I'm, I'm not sure if that's the best idea, Steven. You've been through quite a lot within the past day alone, are you sure you're ready to visit there. It's, it not a pretty place, or the most wonderful." She huffs sadly. "I'm living proof of that." She murmured.

"Amethyst, please." Steven begged. "I know I'm asking for a bit much, especially with how I treated the others yesterday. The truth is, I don't know what to think now." He says, getting her to look him straight in the face. "I'm, I'm so uncertain about a lot of things right now, about who I really am" an image of Rose Quartz appears I his mind", who the people I know really are", the mental image changes to the Crystal gems and Yellow Diamond appear," and what my future holds." It changes to a picture of the earth, and of Blue Diamond. "This is one of the few things I'm certain about right now, and I need to dig deeper into it, but I can only do it with your help."

"I, really, maybe we should run this by the others first.."

"NO!" He shouted a little too loudly. "I mean, we can't, at least, not right now. I myself have made a lot of mistakes yesterday, and I can't face them until I got everything straighten out." He said.

Amethyst still had a worried face on. "Are you positive, because it won't be a pretty sight. It's going to reveal somethings you won't like, show you some really, really dark and heavy stuff for even someone like yourself could handle." Amethyst warned.

"I'm sure. Right or wrong, light or dark, I need to get an answer, no matter what it shows me." He confirms before all three of the Quartz siblings step onto the warp pad. "And just for the record" he adds before they take off. "I don't believe your bad, Amethyst. If that place is as dark as you tell me, then I'm happy that something as light, something as fun, loving, and good came from it." He assures, which makes her take on a light purple blush before lightly punching him in the arm, taking off in a light stream of light.

Meanwhile the elder gems rose up from behind the counter. They had heard everything that they had said, and it just made their eyes water.

"What are we going to do? Garnet, if he sees this, he, he won't be the same. We have to do something about this?!

"We have to let him make his own choices, Pearl. We've, I've interfered too much, and all it did was make things worse. We have to let him process this on his own.

"Why, why would you say that?! He may be strong, but he's a child, Garnet, he's our child! We can't just let him.."

"Enough. If I see them in trouble, we'll help in any way we can, but for now, we have to let them go."

Garnet walks away to her room, trying to be strong for the moment, leaving Pearl in disbelief. This, this couldn't be happening. This was not how things were supposed to be. Steven was supposed to be with his family, his real family, not with a Diamond. She couldn't stand this, she couldn't stand all this, this bad vibe being put in the air. She needed to fix things, she had to fix everything! She would do anything to get things the way they were. For the team. For the only family she had come to know.

For Rose Quartz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the Quartz trio find some rather shocking revelations while fighting off against Gem Mutants.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Surprise. I thought i'd give you guys one last treat before I go, another chapter.

Steven wasn't quite sure what he'd expect while visiting the kindergarten. He'd had helped establish various kindergartens for homeworld. But none of them were destructive. They had mostly been planets full of life, but none so much as the breathing, intelligent kind. They were all new, so he'd never actually seen the end result of the kindergarten. He saw it as a beautiful thing. Seeing new gems born from the crust of the luscious planets, their new potential, the ability for almost anything to happen. He thought of the kindergarten as a great and full of blessings.

This, this was not what he imagined it. Upon arriving at the prime Kindergarten, Steven fell to his knees, and nearly threw up. Everything he saw, it was bland, gray, cold, and lifeless. This was the exact opposite of what a kindergarten promised to produce. This wasn't the colorful, hopeful picture that he always imagined it was, this, this was something out of a nightmare, something, something dark and, and almost, evil.

Carnelian picked up the little Quartz to his feet once he stopped gagging. "Are you okay Rhodonite?"

"Yeah, are you? Its not too late to turn back now. We can always just head back and come here some other time if you want." Amethyst insisted, also getting a little uneasy at return to her place of origin. She always felt tethered to this place, no matter how much good she accomplished, no matter how far she was from this place, it's dark, haunting presence always loomed over her. She knew, especially after Steven's affirmation, knew that she wasn't defined by what she was originally made for, but still, it made her a little self conscious to know that she came from such a place of darkness and bad intent.

All three of them walked down the isle, scornfully looking at the various holes of lifelessness in walls of the canyon. They felt as if they were about to suck them dry of any life they had, draining all the light, all the hope from their vary cores. Each of them shuddered as they went deeper and deeper into the former Homeworld project. The Quartz trio felt very queasy as looked around, hoping that this end as soon possible.

Carnelian looked at her little brother with worry. She saw as his face slowly became more and more gruesome and hopeless. All of Homeworld knew about what the kindergartens did, thought the paid little heed to it. They only cared about the grand structures, the beautiful spires, the wondrous shiny floors their feet walked upon. But Blue Diamond, she had made it very clear that Steven should never see a kindergarten once it was complete. She knew that once he saw it, his innocence, his idealistic nature that brought so much joy and works to homeworld, might be shattered. He might lose his drive, his hope, his faith in homeworld. Carnelian pondered the consequences about this. If Steven gets the answers he's looking for, what then? What would he do? Where would his allegiance and loyalties lay?

Would they, would they even stay the same again. Would they still be brother and sister?

"Why are we here anyway? I know this is more than looking at a piece of bad history." Amethyst questioned, trying to make since at the small madness that Steven seem to be diving into.

"I'm trying to find answers here, and the only way I can find them is through here." He sternly states, not even looking back at his older sisters, slightly making them wince back a little at his authoritative voice.

The two Quartz sisters decided not to talk for the rest of the walk as they neared their destination. They went up against a certain wall of the canyon. Steven pushed against it as the two quartzes watch in slight confusion. However, before they could question this, a latch in the ground opened up, sliding forward in a slant position as it carried off our three siblings down to whatever it was headed.

Amethyst was the first to find her voice. "What is this place? How'd you..'

"This is a Homeworld lab." Steven explained. "Sometime during the war, Homeworld wanted to find other uses for the earth, seeing as making a new colony was out of the question." They had finally reached the bottom, to a large green room with some sort of panel sticking out. Steven walked towards it as the screen lights up, putting up an image of the earth. "So, the diamonds, specifically yellow, decided up the "brilliant idea to use broken gem shards from the war, to make a giant super weapon." he said quite sarcastically as he searched for something specific on the computer.

Each of the Quartz sisters looked at him with dumbfound expressions, especially Carnelian, who likewise didn't know about the exact nature of the cluster.

"Wait, so, your telling me that underneath the earth is a giant monster made up of dead gems that'll crush the earth when it activates!?" Amethyst shrieked. "That was your mission!? And you didn't tell us that before!?" She stared accursedly at both the blue serving Gems.

"Hey, I'm just as shocked as you. Me and Rhodonite were only told that it was a weapon the size of the planet. I, I had no idea it was made from, from..." She tries to say, only to gag at the mere thought of it. "How do you even know about that anyway?"

"Let's just say I learned it from a helpful source. And for the record, maybe I would've felt like sharing if a certain group of Gems didn't immediately destroy my ship and attack my friends." He countered back, making Amethyst shrink a little in embarrassment.

"We came here to check on the progress of the cluster, though I had my own agenda to try to convince them otherwise." He said, which made the two look at him with confusion. "What? This is were I was born. Like I would actually let this place blow up without trying to save it."

"But, but Rhodey, how are you going to do that?"

"Simple, I'm going to go to the Diamond's, and tell them that earth can't be destroyed." He stated. He looked back at them, with the same dumbfound faces on, so he explains further. "Look, I know I'm just repeating what I said yesterday, but I have a plan now. I, I spoke with Blue Diamond last night."

"Wait, what, how, how..." Carnelian stuttered.

"I'll explain later. Just know that I did, and it confirmed what I told you guys. Blue Diamond doesn't want the earth to be destroyed. She wants to keep it alive. She hated the cluster's approval, she hated the corruption wave, and she was devastated to learn that it effected even the most loyal of followers during the war." He points out. "Look, especially after what I saw, I can't deny some of the darker path's of homeworld. But I can't give up on them. I have to believe that I can change this."

Amethyst and Carnelian look at each other, not knowing whether or not this was incredibly brave, or unbelievably naïve. "Okay, but, what are we doing here? You could've told us about the cluster at home. What's the deal with going to this creepy place?" Amethyst questions.

"For two reasons. First to check up on the status on the cluster so that we know exactly how much time we have in order fix this mess." Steven face gets a little more blank as he begins to type something on it. "This next part, is a little more personal." He says as a bunch of dates show off on the screen. "This here's is all the times the project has made progress. A weapon as massive as the cluster is too big to form all at once, so it takes a awhile for it to finish its process. The cluster has made little progress over time, but each effective in its own way. More often than not, it probably only progressed as an earthquake, but sometimes, a "break through" come along." He said as he Looked for a specific date.

"Why are you looking for a date? Can't you do that later when this place feels a little less.." Amethyst stops in mid sentence. She freezes as she and Carnelian state at a bunch of dirt made logs at the very said of the wall. They see them glow. In that moment, all three siblings looked at the creature slowly forming before them. In the bright glow, multiple heads and bodies seem to come out as the try to pull away from each other. They fall, and all that results from the glow is a giant, abomination made up of hands and legs. The two giant creature come before them, crawling towards them reaching towards them.

Steven has a flash back to what he saw in his dream. "w _ant to, need to, want to, need, to waaaaaaant...yoooooou"_ He reminisces on the horrible sound of his voice. He starts sweating cold sweat as he backs up, leaning against the panel.

Amethyst and Carnelian waste no time trying to fight them off, only to slightly push them back. "Steven, we really need to go now!" She shouts, getting even more creeped out by her place of origin.

"No!" He shouted, regaining composure as he gets back on the panel. "I'm not leaving until I find what i'm looking for!" He says as he begins to scroll through the dates even more. "Just hold them back a little more! I'm almost finished!"

Carnelian, seeing there was no use in arguing with her controlling younger brother, just pulls out her changed flails as she bats them in one of its bigger hands. Likewise, Amethyst pulls out her whip and tries to keep it in place, only for it to pull her forward and entangle her in its various arms. Now Amethyst was completely chilled to the bone. She had herself faced a ton of dangerous stuff, but this, this wasn't just dangerous, not it was scary, she was generally afraid of this, not only for herself, but for all those gems that just wanted to rest, being forced to fight her. Amethyst wasn't sure if she.

"Get off of her!" Steven yelled as he charges right into the creatures side, smashing it into the wall. But Steven wasn't done. Taking out his shield, Steven bashed it against the creature, bashed it heavily, and brutally. Steven showed no sighs of stopping as he attack more and more. Now the two sisters were even more scared. Why was Steven acting so angry? Why would he attack something so horribly, so mercilessly? "Never take them from me again!" He shout one last time before raising his fist, and punching it right into it physical form, poofing it intently. He slowly picks up the Gem, and sighed as he bubbles it and sends it off. "Bubble those before they reform. Lets go. He say as he begins to climb the slope of the opening. The two sisters comply as they due as they were told. Before Amethyst leaves however, she takes one last look at the screen. On it was a date that she would never forget. It was the date that changed their lives forever.

It was the date that Steven left them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, an attack by gems mutants forces the two sides of gems to work together, while Pearl begins to enact her plan to make things right.


End file.
